Cadence in Mahogany

The polished fallboard of the upright piano offered a smooth path directly toward an antique mahogany metronome. Resting beside its brass scale lay a dried star anise pod from a decorative bowl. Stepping onto the instrument's lid, I adjusted the miniature brass slider along the pendulum rod until it aligned precisely with seventy-two beats per minute. With a light touch, I freed the latch. The silver wand began its disciplined arc, sending a rich, rhythmic clack echoing deep into the piano strings below. I placed the star anise at the base of the pendulum, letting its star-shaped symmetry anchor the swinging tempo.