In Memoriam

The In Memoriam segment at The Academy Awards is a highlight

It happens so often.
Breaking news interrupts
and informs us of someone who’s died.
Blindsided, we Google
in search of the facts
that fake news can easily hide.

When Hollywood loses a star
that we’ve loved,
It’s not just the sky that grows dark.
We grieve for a friend
that we never have met
who has brought lasting joy to our heart.

Their death’s a reminder
that life is a mist.
Like a vapor it’s here and then gone.
But silver screen greats
can still be found in their films.
When we watch them, it’s like they live on.

All That Glitters…

The fireplace mantel in our family room on Oscar Night

All that glitters is not gold.
The silver screen finds us
focused on aliens and vampires,
monsters and demon hunters
and the untimely death of a child.
Such movies are not for the faint of heart.

But in a world of sinners,
we should not be entirely surprised.
Life is more than a ping pong game.
It’s one battle after another!
Secret agents have weapons!
Yet if looks could kill, we’d all be guilty.

We are, after all, flawed and broken people
longing for redemption,
seeking love, acceptance and forgiveness
in the context of community.
If only we could find those things,
our future would be golden.
And, come to think of it,
that’s what the Good News promises!

How many movie references can you find in the above poem?