calypso message drifts by on imported Caribbean breeze
pound and a quarter of jacked Civic hip hop cruises
it’s like an accordion out there, squeeze, release
mariachi band chimes in from the distance
my neighbour’s daughter is playing her steel drum
and the pots in my kitchen ring sympathetically in time
hard core heat heavy metal grinder passes by
announces the start of rush hour, the Red Rocket rockin’
in time with the i-Pod rhythms of sistas and bruthahs
off in the distance, celebrating the Assumption
a Portuguese choir squares off against an Oompah-pah band
and it all comes down to an allegorical battle between
Singing and Shouting, who is the loudest
and who loves best—the sheer joy of song

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