JAN 9~ SAM HENDRIAN

Today, it's a delight to share two narrative poems by LA-based filmmaker and writer, Sam Hendrian. Sam's mission and values in writing are reflective of just the work I aim to shine a spotlight on -- as he describes it, he's "striving to foster empathy through art." Isn't that beautiful? Be sure to check out his Bio below to learn more. Thank you, Sam, for sharing your poetry with SHINE!

The Art of Science

Said hello as little as possible
Because whenever I did
It became nearly impossible
To say goodbye.

Only embraced on special occasions
Becase each time we locked shoulders
I almost dropped the key
Into the midnight river.

She felt the same but the opposite,
Played the game before pausing it
So she could whisper “Slow down,”
“I can’t be the cure for your perpetual frown.”

A scientific realist is seldom a good match
For an artful romantic;
One will always see what’s there,
The other what they want to be there.

But if both admit to being wrong
Or at least partially right,
The chemistry lab may merge
With a pending poem.

Said hello once more than I did before,
Heard goodbye later than usual,
Then locked shoulders on the hunch
Keys would soon be irrelevant.

After the Final Chord

Watched the clock turn to midnight
While putting the 16th candle on the cake,
Then glanced over at the funhouse mirror
And saw a flicker of what she wanted to see.

Was accustomed to her outfits being praised
Plus the backhanded compliment of “You look good”
But only ever heard the words she craved
From long-dead radio superstars.

They told her she was beautiful,
That they needed her so badly
In between extended guitar breaks
To prove they were at a loss for verbal expression.

Of course, after the final chord
She was back in an empty kitchen
Reading a stack of birthday cards
From Grandma and Grandma’s closest church friends,

Which was why candles were invented,
Safe spaces for wandering wishes
Desperate to find a home
Where being nice meant more than being nice enough.

Sam Hendrian is a lifelong storyteller striving to foster empathy and compassion through art. Originally from the Chicago suburbs, he now resides in Los Angeles, where he primarily works as an independent filmmaker and has just completed his first feature film Terrificman, a deeply personal ode to the power of human kindness. You can find his poetry and film links on Instagram at @samhendrian143.