Is This Classification Good, Bad, or Ugly?
Just why do we have westerns?
Most genres aren’t defined
By era or location.
It’s awkwardly assigned.
We never speak of “easterns,”
Though samurai comes close,
And then there’s sword-and-sandal,
But neither one of those
Is counted as a genre
At many stores and sites
That think a western isn’t
An action flick by rights.
Perhaps this has to do with
How long they’ve been around.
The label dates back further
Than cinematic sound.
In any case, I find it
A silly tag at best,
But still I like some movies
With a setting in the West.
Most genres aren’t defined
By era or location.
It’s awkwardly assigned.
We never speak of “easterns,”
Though samurai comes close,
And then there’s sword-and-sandal,
But neither one of those
Is counted as a genre
At many stores and sites
That think a western isn’t
An action flick by rights.
Perhaps this has to do with
How long they’ve been around.
The label dates back further
Than cinematic sound.
In any case, I find it
A silly tag at best,
But still I like some movies
With a setting in the West.