Restless agitation, two heartbeats

Tremble in anticipation

Take to the floor, lights dim, downbeat thunderous -

‘Oh, not the bloody woke agenda AGAIN!’

Departing proclamation resonates

Swift exit, stage left

Uncompromising, he implores

‘Don’t you watch this, son.’

And so the boy reaches for premature closure

Hand outstretched

Momentary desire to seize control

Stained with prejudice

Driven by dutiful compliance

As blood-stained as the off-switch.

Yet -

His gaze lifts to meet the eyes of onstage lovers

Light waves convey in high definition

Magnetic, impassioned stares

Technicolour kaleidoscope

Gateway to a dream-like dimension

Television set seems to take flight

In that brief moment, so too does his heart -

So too the hearts of two men -

Far removed from the boy’s world -

Dancing as one.