"Network" by Daniel Casey

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Sometimes men watch a film together

they leave the dark with eyes blinking

red from projection and lamp light.

They say nothing to each other perhaps

maybe ‘whaddya think?’ which enlists

a shrug and something said less for its truth

than just for the sake of saying.

And there are nods, agreements to

things unspoken. If the film was some

quality there’s a chance for drinks after

with discussion of some other topic of near

equal importance requiring like commitment.

If the film was crap, well then, what is to be done,

but return home alone in the night

to drink quietly before a smaller screen

asking nothing of you one way or the other?

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