icecutter

the parabolic microphone/follows the blades of the skater/and gives the audience the sounds/of butchery and pandemonium

when the skater becomes airborne there is a flash of silence

but the sounds resume with a swoosh and a skkkkksh/and a stabstabstab/as the skater picks up speed

blessed silence

slotcar madness/kishkishkishkishkish/the shaved-icemaker sound of the final spin/scrapestop

a beat of silence

a mountain of riotous applause