Recently, while watching “Paddington in Peru” in the hallowed rooms of Icon Cinema, I felt poetic inspiration grab hold of me. I knew there was only one format that could truly do justice to the magic of theater: a Pindaric ode.
Pindaric odes date back to Ancient Greece and were often used in a theatrical manner to discuss the results of sports competitions. Pindaric odes use an AB rhyme scheme, that may or may not stay consistent throughout the verse.
Without further ado, here is my ode to the movie theater:
In a time before TVs and services that stream,
Before cliches and tropes,
Theater-goers would flock to the big silver screen.
From those there with dreams,
To those there with hopes
To those there with schemes,
To those there to cope,
Each left with their eyes agleam,
No trace of prior mope.
Grab a bucket of popcorn,
Grab a friend.
We go to here to be reborn,
That’s what Nicole Kidman said.
With each plot twist we attempt to discern,
Each brilliant film we commend,
Each character we mourn,
We leave a new moral to comprehend.
And again and again we return
To recapture the magic we felt,
To again be awe-inspired.
No matter the cards we’ve been dealt,
No matter how tired,
Even if we wish we could melt,
If we’re let down by those we admire —
None of that matters once we have dwelt
In the theater for only the minute required
With a film that is truly heartfelt.
An escape can be found
In this place like no other.
With so many stories abound,
No one exactly like another,
It’s easy to find one profound
And so many greats to discover.
The enchantment here is all around,
If you take the time to uncover,
The theater will surely astound.
Go with those you love,
Or return to the theater alone,
No matter what your view is of,
Your mind will surely be blown.
So if you are uncertain, or only sort of,
Make the journey and do not postpone,
Give yourself the needed shove.
The theater has always shone,
Let it be your true love.
Photo by Meg Boulden on Unsplash.