putting down the rope

i heard a woman arguing with a man as i walked past their apartment,
balcony door open as if inviting the strangers on the street into the quarrel,
leaving it up to us to take sides as we silently, privately craned to listen in,
the man shouting louder than she, his vocal wavelengths overpowering hers,
the leaves on the trees outside bristled, as if personally involved
the night scratched at my back as i clunked along
bearing the weight of the day on my already slumped shoulders.
i don’t need to listen to know, i’m taking her side