Embrace Noir Poem by Nick Flynn

Embrace Noir

Rating: 3.0


I go back to the scene where the two men embrace
& grapple a handgun at stomach level between them.

They jerk around the apartment like that
holding on to each other, their cheeks

almost touching. One is shirtless, the other
wears a suit, the one in the suit came in through a window

to steal documents or diamonds, it doesn't matter anymore
which, what's important is he was found

& someone pulled a gun, and now they are holding on,
awkwardly dancing through the room, upending

a table of small framed photographs. A chair
topples, Sinatra's band punches the air with horns, I

lean forward, into the screen, they are eye-to-eye,
as stiff as my brother & me when we attempt

to hug. Soon, the gun fires and the music
quiets, the camera stops tracking and they

relax, shoulders drop, their jaws go slack
& we are all suspended in that perfect moment

when no one knows who took the bullet--
the earth spins below our feet, a blanket of swallows

changes direction suddenly above us, folding
into the rafters of a barn, and the two men

no longer struggle, they simply stand in their wreckage
propped in each other's arms.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Michael Gale 22 February 2009

Great poem! What is said at the start of a movie, but 'ACTION! .' God bless us all-MJG.

1 1 Reply
Eithne Queen of Celts 17 September 2009

A dark embrace, indeed! Like in a movie about the Mob.

1 1 Reply
Susan Williams 10 April 2016

I enjoyed this story, it is a scene we have seen many times but now we see it through another viewer's eyes and what a difference that makes. The closure to this is absolutely perfect- - - -] and the two men no longer struggle, they simply stand in their wreckage propped in each other's arms

12 0 Reply
Rajnish Manga 10 April 2016

The suspense, the action ans the final scene have come alive through the graphic details in the poem. I really enjoyed it and appreciate the skill of the poet to recreate a scene from the movie. Thanks.

0 0 Reply
Barry Middleton 10 April 2016

Interesting poem. I really like Noir movies.

1 1 Reply
Woru Sulyman 10 April 2016

I like it suspense...nice work

1 1 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 10 April 2016

Wreckage! ! Stealing will never bring us peace. Nice work.

1 1 Reply
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Nick Flynn

Nick Flynn

Boston / United States
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