The sparkle in his eyes
How can I share sound with him?
To sense the din of traffic, he has only to
And so, I'll say to him ...
By Jacqueline Allen 1985
Dedicated to Ken Hughes
Belies the silence in his ears;
His lips find smiling easy.
My new friend is a shy man with whom
I long to share my hearing world.
But how? My voice is useless here.
His fingers 'speak' his thoughts for him ...
His hands dart here and there,
His tone of voice reflected on his face.
I watch him speak and sense that, were the
Words to utter from his mouth,
They would sound full, and round and kind.
Shall I tell him that the sound of a father
Speaking words of wisdom to his child
Is like the feel of sun-warmed wood ...
Solid, strong, yet changeable and comforting?
Should I say the sound of children laughing
Is as delightful and varied as sunlight
Splintered through a crystal prism?
Would he understand that a mother's word of
Comfort is as pleasing as the smell of apple pie ...
Or that a lover's whispered promise gives the same
Sensation as breezes teasing hair against your skin?
Breathe the harsh fumes it leaves behind.
Oh, to be spared words shouted in anger,
Heart-wrenching sobs of bereavement,
The tragedy of metal tearing against metal ...
Once heard, these sounds cannot be forgotten.
How fortunate that a blaring radio, honking horn,
Or other raucous noise can never shatter the
Peacefulness within him.
Friend, you have come into my life without
Adding to the daily pulse of sounds ... no ...
You have brought with you a comforting silence ...
A solitude that hearing people often feel the need
To fill, to erase the awkwardness when spoken
Thoughts are gone.
But, as for me, I am comfortable with silence and
Often seek its company ...
So as I share this world of sound with you, my friend,
I ask that, in return, you save a corner of your
Silent world for me ...
A place to hide, a time and space to share where
No spoken word is necessary.
