[Matt Q]

Hi John,

I don't think that "a hush" quite works for me: I like the alliteration with "hearing", but "hush" seems maybe too positive to me, too tranquil, and is sometimes associated (e.g. "a hush came over the crowd") with a sense of wonder or awe even something spiritual. Still, maybe that's what you intend?

It also seems maybe a slightly odd construction, in effect: "the night was a hush". Could just be me though.

Maybe there's a double read intended, and I guess I could imagine the angry ones also "hushing" in the sense of "to make someone/others be quiet": the angry ones were engaged in hushing their world, plus their night was silent, hushed. If intended, that might be more apparent if "a hush" were "hushed", though likely that doesn't sound as good.

"upset" seems a fair bit weaker than "angry". I'd stick with angry.

I still quite like just "that their night has been changed / to ...".

In the construction, "their night has been changed", do you need "been"? Do you want it to emphasise agency? It hasn't just changed, but someone has changed it. But I wonder if it's needed. Maybe it makes the line a little wordier than it needs to be, or maybe I just like the more iambic feel that comes from dropping it. I dunno. I'm on the fence really.

I did also wonder about "their night has changed from nothing / to hearing ...". It has nice sounds, if nothing else. But likely not what you want to say.

best,

Matt