The ear to hear
Does not always work
It can change its tune
Take a break and shirk
I took its job for granted
Until one day I found
Sounds came to me distorted
Like vibrations from underground
I couldn’t hear my footsteps
Voices seemed far off
It all began last month
With a cold and nagging cough
I didn’t have the symptoms
Of others with the flu
I had no fever or body ache
Just couldn’t quite hear you
Unless I watched your mouth
Or you spoke up loud and clear,
Your voice seemed all muffled
Especially in my left ear
I kept expecting it to pop
And open up one day
Like it does when you go flying
Then land and yawn and say “Hooray!”
But it has been a month now
And the situation’s worse
The hearing test affirmed the fact
I’m blessed with a hearing curse
Last month my sister stayed with us
She has a hearing problem, too
I let the need to repeat myself
Annoy me more than a time or two
So now I think the Lord above
Is teaching me a lesson
See how it feels in a soundless tunnel
Compassion’s growing, I’m a-guessin’
A hearing aid may be the next
Tool that helps my plight
Just as my seamless bifocals
Improved my failing sight
The audiologist instructed me
To set aside my fears
And open my mind to admit
Aids can help as we add on years
I learned that ignoring it
And thinking I’ll make do
Is not a good alternative
Cuz loss of sound will damage you
It’s not just that it’s annoying
It actually hurts the brain
When sounds decrease and we
Receive the signal with too much strain
Brain cells actually stop working
They shrivel up and die
When they stop getting the stimuli
And scientists know why
They’ve studied this phenomena
There’s evidence to prove
Unused syntax disappear when they don’t
Get the sounds that make them move.
Isolation and depression are
Effects that can set in
And so might dementia start
These facts made my head spin
So here’s my ear that used to hear
I’m ready for it to work again
But just in case it doesn’t mind
I won’t delay; I’ll sport a grin
And listen to my ENT who says
A hearing aid is right for me
I’ll wear the damn thing faithfully
To keep my brains cells working actively.
Jan Beekman
1/24/18
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