Deaf Man Symphony

a poem by Zaniest

sometimes the (b)light hits the end
                                                              of your tongue
and I think you must have said something
                                                                           vulgar and bleating and
beautiful.                                                                                                     Breathing
your voice in with my eyes
is hard                sometimes
but not as terrible            as
                                                  turning away.    Did you hear?  sometimes I forget
code syntax and then                                      I (d)read your poems
sometimes I forget my (f)ears and then           I read your poems
I remember the memory of sound                    something I have never tu(r)ned into.
 I know when I hear your voice it will sound like                                      the first line.

✶

Zaniest (they/them) is an artist, poet, and wanderer. They adore long video essays, even longer books, oil pastels, and moldy cheese. They believe in people and roots of all kinds.