we slow danced under the underpass

and listened to the busker who
was playing the cheesiest soundtrack
on what I think was an er-hu
the strings resonated, singing
“my heart will go on”
you told me, “close your eyes,
sometimes you just need to imagine
that no one else exists”
so I did as you say,
tried to slow my heartbeat,
to live in this moment
when only this dance mattered
my shoulders relaxed
but I heard footsteps and laughter
at my vision’s periphery
they all seemed to be laughing at me
the busker judging my every move
I thought, “with another man,
this would have been romantic
but he is only a stranger
just like the people passing by”
I kept blabbing, asking questions
“why are we dancing,
what do you mean slow down”
we swayed for long enough, I thought
as you requested for another song
I put my bags down but I kept carrying
something else, something heavier
as you said, “I’m dancing with a girl
who doesn’t know how to slow down”