Excerpt
Some movies seem like poetry in motion to me, mostly because the filmmakers involved tell their stories using beautiful images backed up by haunting background music and scenes that pack an emotional wallop. One recent example is At Eternity’s Gate starring Willem Dafoe as painter Vincent Van Gogh. After watching this remarkable film, I was motivated to write a poem about the movie.

It’s time to praise Willem Dafoe
for his work as Vincent Van Gogh.
Watching “At Eternity’s Gate,”
we see painting as Vincent’s fate.

Lush with color and shapes unique,
such artistry for one to seek!
His sunflowers and starry skies
now please most everybody’s eyes.

It’s time to praise Willem Dafoe
for his work as Vincent Van Gogh.
Watching “At Eternity’s Gate,”
we see painting as Vincent’s fate.

Lush with color and shapes unique,
such artistry for one to seek!
His sunflowers and starry skies
now please most everybody’s eyes.

Scenes touch something down deep inside,
seeing how Vincent lived and died.

For the past few years, I have added poems to my movie reviews. Perhaps that’s why some of my fans and colleagues have started calling me “Poet Laureate of the Movies.” At first, I thought it was a joke, but now I feel honored even to be mentioned in that way. In fact, I have done a bit of research about this topic.