a moment before the music, Pt.3

a moment before the music ends
for good, there is a pause in the score
that is unplanned. A program self-conducted,
self-written, collaborative, impromptu. We
did all we could; we did all we knew (and
half what we had forgotten) to return
the tempo, baton in hand - but the loss
has already passed over the faces of
players and audience, all of us
both of us. And we stop, lay
it down, and stand.

there will be no applause