The Cinema
A place we go to escape our reality
Where we watch stories unfold on the big screen
You could see a man fall to the depths of insanity
But when the lights turn on we ponder “What did it mean”.
We ask ourselves what the film was trying to say
Perhaps that life’s only worth living if spent with others
Or maybe we can’t leave what’s important for another day
Or maybe we should say “I love you” to our mothers.
In my opinion filmmaking’s an honourable craft
As it provides millions of people with enjoyment
And similar to some one stranded seeing a life raft
A film could end a suffering person’s torment.
By Zach Power
Your poem The Cinema, which is a really great, nice, tidy, tasty little poem, lovely quatrains. I wonder if you were all asked to write quatrains, as you have done a great job of the ABAB rhyming scheme, rhyming reality with scream, then insanity with mean. But your line is lovely and it’s just got a lovely rhythm to it. And then the sentiment, the celebration of the art form is kind of acrastic, I don’t know if you know that word. Acrastic poetry is poetry that’s written in response to another work of art. John Keats famous poem Ode to a Grecian Urn which is on the Leaving Cert and he sort of talks about how beautiful an ancient piece of art is and you’re kind of doing the same with the art of cinema. I love, there’s kind of like this mad mother sacrifice in the middle of it, like maybe we can’t leave what’s important for another day, maybe we should say I love you to our mothers. And then it’s almost like the last stanza is but in my opinion film making is an honourable craft. It’s almost like you are saying that it’s worth it. And I think you’re right, I would agree with you because in that lovely line an honourable craft, similar to someone stranded seeing a life raft a film could end a suffering person’s torment, the relief that cinema brings. And in the same way you are doing here I suppose is the relief of me reading this and saying yeah I feel the same about cinema. I think a good poem works like a relief. They say the shortest distance between two people is a smile and sometimes a poem can be a lovely bridge between people like that to connect us. So when I read this I connect with my love of cinema I have a desire to watch a movie now because of what you have said, which I think the best thing a poem can do, is activate someone into taking a bit of action. So thanks, well done Zack.