tsk tsk tsk wagged the metronome
who watched over
her delicate
hand
ting ting ting sang the ivory
as she taunted
the sweet baby
grand
no no no seethed the pedagogue
he was a talentless,
ignorant
fool
sob sob sob rang the little girl
forced alone
with the tutor
so cruel
psst psst psst whisp’d the wretched man
these secrets
you mustn’t
tell a soul
rip tear bruise I’m your biggest fan
dear, i promise
to you
the lead role
sob sob sob the instructor cried
told police
he’d done
nothing wrong
click snap squeeze they cuffed knowing he lied
and wondered
when they’d stop hearing
that song
wink wink wink shot the little girl
her parents
would now take
the lead
wash wash wash her hands of vicarity
misjudging her,
a dire assumption
indeed
