A Glimpse of Starlight

We watched Gladiator over the weekend. I’ve listened to the soundtrack for years—”Now We Are Free” is one of my top ten favorite songs—which made finally watching it even more special. It’s totally up my alley. There were a lot of fascinating themes, but there was this one line that just hit me. It sums up a whole host of things I’ve been thinking about, a deep feeling that I’ve felt well up in me for years but haven’t tried naming or exploring until now.

One of my favorite things is to write poetry or short stories that include quotes and lyrics that mean a lot to me, weaving other people’s words into mine. So here you go. The italics are a direct quote from the movie.

there was a dream

(of course there was)
(there always is)

there was a dream

(that word is an elixir to us)
(what are dreams anyway?)

there was a dream

(escapist delusions?)
(psychological shadows?)

there was a dream that was—

(if we even remember them—)
(if we ever dare share them—)

there was a dream

(I dreamed a dream in time gone by)
(to sleep, perchance to dream)

there was a dream

(it’s the same old story)
(we cannot stop dreaming)

there was a dream

(maybe we should)
(life might hurt less then)

there was a dream that was—
that was—

(and
it
fell)

*

There was once a dream that was Rome. You could only whisper it.
Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish.
It was so fragile.
And I fear that it will not survive the winter.

*

and still, the ruins stand
and still, songs are sung
and still, we recreate myths
to make the dream come true

and still, we close our eyes
and still, we stretch out our hands
and still, we whisper
eyes alight with the secret fire

and still, we dream
because the honor and the hope
the strength and the stories
the dreams
survive the winter

---

What we do in life echoes in eternity.