Poetry: Musical Moment No. 2 by Tiffany Hsieh
In “Musical Moment No. 2,” the speaker’s reality turns surreal as they face pressure and judgement under the spotlight: “The/ moment of impact is standing still/ because of you.”
Musical Moment No. 2
A pull-chain lamp with green glass
shade blinks on the makeshift jury’s
desk. The house light dimmed
five seconds ago. Five seconds ago
you were still a good daughter. You
rubbed your baby powdered but sweaty
hands together. Asked yourself if
they were salty or chalky. Your hands,
grilled like teriyaki, like your ma’s,
cold. She has only ever scolded you
about not playing but not about pain
playing up underneath your skin.
You are not wrong about everything
and here comes Bach. The mic hanging
from the ceiling tickles you and turns
you into a deer. You leap out from
the forest like a Broadway artist. The
moment of impact is standing still
because of you. Because you are still
standing. Because you ask yourself
where does the left hand go. Ask
how does it go again.
