Tuesday 16 April 2013

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.

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