Midnight Cinema

Curtains rise as shadows fall
The players assemble.
In an instant the director calls,
“Action” and they assume their positions.

Past haunts,
Rise up and present themselves.
Thespians of psychological hurts,
Take their places
And start the midnight charade.

Twisting and turning thoughts
Over and over in my head.
Dredging and blaming
Telling me, “You wish you were dead!”
“You wish you were dead”.
As torment and torture
Take center stage.

Questions, rise to the forefront,
“Why did he have to die?”
“Why did she go?”
“What did I do wrong?”
Crowded, fighting for space,
Anger, bitterness, fear and hate.
Trying to present their best case.
Unforgiveness stands.

As lids close
To welcome the night
The players exit
Stage right.



Written by: Minnie Hayes Patmon-McLaurin on 5/11/05

This poem was written based on a statement by one of my seminary professors (Dr. Brent Ferris) at the American Christian College & Seminary in Oklahoma. He was teaching a Christian Counseling class on forgiveness. He stated that people sometimes say they forgive someone, but at night they rehearse the wrongs done to them in the “Midnight Cinemas of their Minds.”