The refrain shrills,
pierces the pressed hush,
stammers into her ear that song
she’d shushed (feigned, it seems) —
the black/white lyrics
boxed behind her tongue
tuning acid to base.
She sees him
(all tinkly notes and melody)
hissing dismissive arias
at her gawking.
The chords fight forward,
tenor particle-pain,
metronome her eyelids
to a black boot march
as he raises his arm.