My family knew that I was deaf
When I was only three,
and since then fifteen years ago
Have never signed to me.
I know when I'm around the house,
I try and use my voice,
It makes them feel more comfortable;
For me, I have no choice.
I try, communicate their way-
Uncomfortable for me.
My parents wouldn't learn sign
Ashamed or apathy?
I never cared about the sound of radios and bands;
What hurts me most is, I never heard
My parents' signing hands.
Stephen J. Bellitz, Reprinted from Senior News, July 1991
4 comments:
Oh that just breaks my heart. To think that a parent would purposely not learn to sign because it makes them uncomfortable. Sad, oh so sad.
Powerful... and sad.
I can't describe the words I just expressed. It took the breath out of me.
Wow.
I just recently found out that this poem is widely known! I didn't know that. I like this poem very much although it is heartbreaking, so I've decided to do an interpretation of this poem by Stephen J. Bellitz for my high school class :)
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