http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber
In my early years, I had a problem with words and language, and still do sometimes; it is one of many reasons that my chosen form of creative therapy is writing, both poetry and fiction. Should any readers be interested in my fiction, just go to:
https://rogertaberfiction.blogspot.com/2016/05/news-updates-fiction.html
Now, I have been partially deaf all my life and need to wear hearing aids. Even today, some people see my aids and assume I am retarded or, at best, as thick as two planks. (Fortunately, I have a sense of humour.) Today’s poem is posted especially for a profoundly deaf gay couple, one of whom celebrates his 50th birthday today; they have been together for 21 years this week.
Yes, life is an emotional rollercoaster and no, you cannot fully do justice to emotion in words. Believe me, though, when I say from personal experience that it helps one helluva lot to try ... !
Gay or straight, when words fail you, you can invariably count on your eyes to say it all ... for better or worse.
“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” - Mark Twain
MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY
I cannot hear
nor shall I wish my life away
but sign to you
how we mean more each day
than spoken words
can say
You cannot speak
nor do you wish your life away
but sign to me
how we live more each day
than spoken words
can say
In eyes of desire,
our love rising from the heart
like a fire
in winter till death us part
and for its second spring
we'll wait
Copyright R. N. Taber 1997
[Note: The poem was written to coincide with the US publication of Eyes of Desire 2: A Deaf GLBT Reader ed. Raymond Luczak, Alyson Books, 1997 to which I contributed an article.]
In my early years, I had a problem with words and language, and still do sometimes; it is one of many reasons that my chosen form of creative therapy is writing, both poetry and fiction. Should any readers be interested in my fiction, just go to:
https://rogertaberfiction.blogspot.com/2016/05/news-updates-fiction.html
Now, I have been partially deaf all my life and need to wear hearing aids. Even today, some people see my aids and assume I am retarded or, at best, as thick as two planks. (Fortunately, I have a sense of humour.) Today’s poem is posted especially for a profoundly deaf gay couple, one of whom celebrates his 50th birthday today; they have been together for 21 years this week.
Yes, life is an emotional rollercoaster and no, you cannot fully do justice to emotion in words. Believe me, though, when I say from personal experience that it helps one helluva lot to try ... !
Gay or straight, when words fail you, you can invariably count on your eyes to say it all ... for better or worse.
“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” - Mark Twain
MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY
I cannot hear
nor shall I wish my life away
but sign to you
how we mean more each day
than spoken words
can say
You cannot speak
nor do you wish your life away
but sign to me
how we live more each day
than spoken words
can say
In eyes of desire,
our love rising from the heart
like a fire
in winter till death us part
and for its second spring
we'll wait
Copyright R. N. Taber 1997
[Note: The poem was written to coincide with the US publication of Eyes of Desire 2: A Deaf GLBT Reader ed. Raymond Luczak, Alyson Books, 1997 to which I contributed an article.]
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