Orpheum
Once upon a time, when promise came wrapped in movie darkness,
Rain rolled in from mountains & ballfields turned into soggy swamps,
Punks like us paid our quarters to claim popcorn-scented seats up front to
Howl & heckle & hide deep in our seats as Godzilla breathed fire overhead.
Either we were cowards or we were brave, but Juicyfruits calmed our nerves.
Upstairs in the balcony the perfumed teens were too busy making out to scream.
Morpheus, god of dreams, napped in his projection booth until the monsters died.
Morpheus, we should have known, was an old man like we’ve become.
Upstairs we tuck the grandkids into bed & wonder what they’ve learned today,
Either the active shooter drills or the teacher’s admonitions about online stalkers.
Hope looks so frail in their sleepy eyes. Godzilla’s gunning for the White House.
Punks rule the Twitterverse, & movies want two hours to rival Kierkegaard.
Rain, drought, smoke-filled skies, nothing feels right in a broken climate.
Once upon a time we had once upon a time & now we miss it so.