“Am I too loud?”

On the piano, to accompany a singer
is an endeavour for just a few.
Fingers and breath kneel on the pew
for the Lied to be the foremost winner.

Balanced tempi, rhythm, pauses,
are all vital for musical clauses.
Dynamics, sforzandos, rubatoes
withdraw the discourse from Thanatos.

Both follow the very same score
but impress their own personality:
a rendition with evenness is a bore
as it affects the whole sonority.

And to accompany a partner
in sickness and in health?
First to your dog and hamster,
turning poverty into wealth?

Musical duets reflect any relationship,
with standing ovation or fiasco-evening:
you either embark on a gorgeous trip
or succumb to an experience dreading.