POETRY PROMPT|MOVIES|STRESS
Once is Never Enough
There’s value in repetition
A movie needn’t be for adult viewing to cause me trepidation, because media for children cause me as much concern.
Sometimes, I watch new flicks in segments. This helps take the edge off — I love taking breaks on top of commercial pauses. It’s my self-preserving way to calm my nervous system down.
I watch a bit of film, then a commercial, followed by more footage before another well-deserved rest.
It’s a bumpy ride watching a movie with me for the first time — you might choose to avoid it.
I enjoy watching the same movie more than once — the more, the better. Repetition allows me to watch it all the way through, from start to finish, without interruptions.
I have a flawed memory, so, I still guess what’s going to happen. Having seen the movie before rarely spoils the experience, but re-watching it reduces the stress, while the excitement never wanes.
I wrote this poem after reading Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她)’s response to themindgeek’s Instagram post, “Asking for a friend: Is anyone else’s main coping mechanism rewatching tv shows and movies?”
Thank you, Lucy, for another inspiring prompt.
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