Film Noir

It may be black as the darkest night
As black as Newgate's knocker
But flickering light illuminates
The fearful huddled faces...

Seated, gasping, frightened
It's cinema night...

Bruises left on biceps
Clutched in panic'd awe
The monster looming large
The teeth in its gaping maw

Fu Man Chu proclaims
'The World Shall Hear from me again'
Then Sexton Blake and Sherlock Holmes
Step forward to save the day

And Robbie appears - In colour no less
It seems we're not really welcome
The Planet is Forbidden
And the Pigdeon is but a stool

So we watched, enthralled...
Enraptured by flickering tales
Old gunslingers, space cowboys
Mad scientists, detectives and monsters

And still they grasp us
The stories seen before
Though old and careworn
Their magic overawes...

Now we hug on the sofa
Finding fear in our homes
Cuddling to stifle shivers...

That's cinema night shared
On the world wide web