It’s a long film, Les Miserables

Walt Whitman, ‘exuberance is beauty’

To see Andrew firecracker in the audience of a

live Musical Show is a priceless hit

of lightning. He lit ‘Les Mis’ maybe a dozen times.

Today, we saw posters for a film version

and sit down side-by-side-by-side in

the back row of the multiplex:

between us, a bag chock-full of pop and crisps

and, off we fall into the grandest sound

and leaning-forward colour.

I always feel that epic story up from deep; a rising tear

from chest to throat and wetting of my eyeballs, cheeks

but Andrew goes for lemonade, maltesers, crisps

and crackles taste and sweetness

not caught, at all, by time concocted space and tone of

deftly crafted music sound around.

After munching, I return to heart-stop tension in the pulse

and drum of war and song. Toilet please and so I walk the scallywag

away as children die in Technicolor.

At last, the credits roll with all our goodies eaten.

This is Andrew’s moment – standing up, he leads a rising choral clapped

applause – and smiles – exuberant. We all join in; several hundred people

led by him. Our car is waiting, dark and cold, and, singing in the rain,

we march  into the chorus: Hear the people sing!

and then away upstairs to sleep like heroes now

and dream of glory then.