Golden Globes and a Poem Revisited 1.6.24

I was talking on the phone to my wife this morning, who is in Boston with our grandchildren. And the following demonstrates how our conversation led to her suggesting that I repost a poem that I wrote in September of 2020.

Because of our youngest son’s interest in film, I have developed an interest movies and have become a minor “Film Nerd.” So, instead of watching the Dolphins/Bills football game last night, I watched the Golden Globes. How does a movie about a nuclear physicist gross over $1 Billion? Because it was superbly produced and directed. So Christopher Nolan won his first Golden Globe as a director. And I told Elizabeth over the phone that I was particularly touched by a moment when Christopher Nolan, during his acceptance speech, mentioned the speech he had made in 2009 on behalf of Heath Ledger, who won the Golden Globe posthumously (and subsequently an Oscar) for his role as the Joker in Nolan’s 2008 movie “The Dark Knight.” Ledger’s depiction of the Joker in that movie is considered his finest acting performance ever and the character he depicted is often listed as one of the greatest and iconic villains in film. During Nolan’s speech last night he mentioned how difficult it was to get through that 2009 speech. He then looks down at Robert Downey Jr., who is sitting in the front, and says, “I remember looking at you during that speech and you helped me get through it. Thanks for being a good friend over the years.” It was a touching moment for many reasons.

When I recounted that moment to Elizabeth over the phone, she said it made her cry. I do not know if anyone from the press will pick up on that genuine moment of friendship, but I did. And by the way, Robert Downey Jr. won a Golden Globe last night for Best Supporting Actor in “Oppenheimer.” It was a good night for Nolan and his movie. Among other awards, the movie also won a Golden Globe for Best Actor.

I then told Elizabeth that the Golden Globes for the first time gave an award for “Best Performance in a Stand-Up Comedy on Television.” The clips from the performances were hilarious. Wanda Sykes’ was the best. In her clip she mentions a show that she did in 2019 that she called “Not Normal.” She then lists all of the crazy stuff that has happened since then, especially the pandemic, the riots and the insurrection that occurred on January 6th, 2021. And she said I should have called that show “The Good Ole Days!” Elizabeth laughed and I told her that the clip reminded me of a poem that I wrote towards the end of 2020. She wanted me to read it to her, which I did. After reading it to her, she said “You need to repost that, especially since we are at the anniversary of the insurrection.” So, I am reposting it below, three years after that awful day.

Inspired by Events of 2020

The Pathos of 2020 9.2.20

When this year finally ends
My hope is that its pathos 
Inflicted by the four Ps
Will also meet its end

The Pandemic fertilized the soil
The Press planted the seeds
The Protests gave it light
And Politics provided water

We, collectively are the soil
We have embedded in us
Feelings and emotions
That can be used for good or evil

The Four P’s mix these emotions
Creating a concoction 
That chokes out joy
And feeds our fear

That mixture creates a soil 
That is not life sustaining
But supports some type of vegetation 
That chokes every good thing around it

Like the unwanted weeds in a garden  
The only way to eradicate this pathos
Is to dig it up by its roots
Which will take effort from each of us

The Pandemic will not defeat us
The Press will not think for us
The Protests will not make us cynics
And Politics will not define us