Silence
I am hearing impaired and Vicki knows that and helps me when she sees that I'm having trouble understanding something. I wrote the following poem which was published a few years ago in the San Diego Poetry Annual and it was just republished in the Silent Sparks anthology Beautiful Poetry. It was cathartic to write as I wanted readers to know what the hearing impaired go through daily. The poem follows: SILENCE Copyright Terry Macrae We can't abide silence, it seems. We fill it, like shoveling soil into a gaping grave, with meaningless conversation, as if afraid of becoming lost in it. While out driving, a crooning Dino clashes with the drone of the tires on the freeway. Sirens pierce the night air like ice picks through eardrums, a dog's bark, a neighbor's party— all intruders breaking in to keep us awake. Noise, noise, everywhere. Any time, any place, no escape. Pollution they call it. Ah, but I'm an exception, you see, being almost deaf and all. Silence isolates,
