[86400 is the name of a film made by a local production company. It was shown to the public on April 29, 30, 2009 in Cinema 1 at Galaxy Cinema in Cornwall, Ontairo. The film was made by the crew of three interviewing 24 Cornwall citizens in a 24 hour period—hence the title, which is the number of seconds in 24 hours.]

Many thousand years ago  deep in a cave
a small group of fur-clad hunters
stood watching the souls of animals and other hunters
brought out of the darkness by flickering torch light
but frozen in the heat of the blood hunt.

They drooled watching the plump animals flee
pondered the handling of a spear, the heft, the flight.
They argued the strategy, wondered how the animal
could exist silent without its strong familiar musk.

They left the cave, relieved, pleased to smell the familiar grasses
to hear the birds overhead, alert to the scent of a young boar
that had passed south three days before, just after the rain.

Two nights ago in raked seats, ranged rows of eyes watched our town
displayed on the familiar blank white wall that usually controls
our imaginations from afar.

But here we were watching ourselves in the magic place:
this time people we really knew were up there larger than life
wondering if they are allowed to move their heads
or smile.

We left the theatre, relieved, pleased to smell the familiar gases
to hear the busy traffic, alert to the scent of fried fast food nearby
startled by the crisp swish of tires, just after the rain.