Grace Sleeman

ode to the silver screen

coming out of a movie theater into the
cool of the first spring evening 
is the closest you’ll ever come to being born again.
when the movie you saw was a 
good one, & everyone clapped at the end
& laughed to each other as they gathered
bags, & snack wrappers, & coke bottles –
& when you all step outside you are something
greater than before. those street lights
are lit & the sky’s still holding onto a little
brightness, a little blue still
but quickly giving over to dusk. god, what a
night to walk home & talk & talk & talk
just to hear the sound of your voices! to laugh
when nothing is funny. to clap at the end 
of a movie just because you’re glad
someone cared enough to make it &
thank god you all gathered here tonight to 
watch it.