she fixes the clip in her hair/ purses her lips/ smooths her sleek skirt/ and it all shifts in a blip

all she sees is the black/ the ink runs down/ a perfect album cover shot/ and onwards her head pounds

the click of the heels/ that have been replaced/ with the click of her teeth/ that have gained a red base

she walks the street corner/ phone on alert/ keys between fingers/ silent to avert

yet click and again/ i see her on my screen/ the newsline blares/ and again society fails to redeem