(A Freestyle Poem)

Hearing friend, I love you so,
But really this is what I need you to know.

I’ve changed since you saw me last,
a difference that you will never see.
I cannot hear, not like before.
The world is different to me.

Here is what I need you to do:
Don’t yell across the street.
Come to me and tap on the shoulder
Say “hello,” but within 6 feet.

Please speak clearly and slow down a little.
It is clarity, not always volume I need.
I need to see your lips, your face, your actions.
I need cue words, topics, all so I can speechread.

Please stand on my right, as the left ear has no sound.
Let’s find a quiet street; the traffic is too loud.
Why do I ask?
Words come to me in pieces, so I need to see.
Plus my power aid works only well within 6 feet.  

My brain connects dots, goes into overdrive,
All to make that connection in return. Just to say “hi.”
If I don’t see you, I cannot hear you.
If you are with me and use these cues, you have 120% of my attention.

He’s in my range, the man with the low pitch voice
But the lady next to him, her voice gets lost – it’s not my choice

Hearing aids are good but have their limits.
With over 100 decibels pumping in one ear, I only make out so much. 

Flat screens without captions mean nothing to me.
Movies at the Theatre? No thanks. I’ll wait for Netflix. 

High frequencies have disappeared from speech
No f, s, th, sometimes no k, o, h, g, ch, sh…. 
Small sounds are also are well beyond my reach.
To paper shuffles, no water, no birds and no bees.

Try not to whisper, please… 

You are my ears for that stranger
When they ask for directions, I expect you to speak.
When they look at me, I expect you to translate,
those directions in which they seek.

Hearing friends, you speak so softly.
You have habits that you are unaware of.
We live in a world dominated by hearing loss,
That you should be aware of.

To my hearing friends: hearing loss is invisible
and not just for the old.
But we are all aging, and hearing loss will take its toll.

Your habits are for everyone, young and old,
Mild loss and almost deaf.
Please be aware next time you speak.
Don’t be shy, I want to hear what you seek!

Update after getting my Cochlear Implant

Hooray for me, sound has been replaced.
Since we last spoke, hearing has changed my pace. 

I am bimodal. What does this mean? 
A cochlear implant in one side, a hearing aid in the other. 
My CI fills the silence with those high pitches, not found in the other.

It all sounds electronic, it all sounds fake.
But I finally keep up with small talk,
and it’s almost a piece of cake.

I still need your patience. I still need you to speak one at a time.
My brain is still adapting,
so can you repeat that one more time?

The CI is not perfect, not even close.
I have only 20 electronic sounds, then my brain does its best.
After a full day’s work, my body wants nothing but rest.

They say I will adapt. With time I will get better.
They say my brain will change and honestly,… as I am done with this echo cavern… so it better.

Those new sounds are truly a blessing.
The reassurance of the future has given my spirit a lift.

My journey to hear you again is a treasured gift.