“Nero” is one of three short art songs designed to be performed by young singer-piano duos at the Regent Park School of Music in Toronto, Canada. The text for each song is a winning poem from an annual poetry contest aimed at the local young residents of the Regent Park neighbourhood. Each piece is included in the Park Songbook IV.Utilizing a sense of melodrama present in the poem, “Nero” is a mix of bravado and introspection that fits this type of reflection on a historical figure. There is a wistful nature to some of the vocal turns, contrasted by the heavily punctated/accented simplistic lines of text. In this way, the piece attempts to present a duality of perspective both on the man and the performer recounting him.