Poetry

My First Deaf-Blind Encounter

I was 17 when I first met an old deaf-blind man
He walked into our deaf church with a white cane
A deacon rose and went to greet his friend's hand
Tactile hands and fingers danced as light as rain.

I felt horror the first time I saw him and felt shame
I couldn't resist staring at him, yet he intrigued me
I'd never be caught dead with a white cane so lame
I thanked my lucky stars I didn't need glasses to see.

Eight years later, I became that deaf-blind woman
For the first time I understood the old man's pain
I was lost and now my life I needed to re-examine
I knew my life would never be the same again.

And now I am one of those middle-aged freaks
With my white cane and ugly telescope glasses
My old hearing aids and FM system that squeaks
Now it's time to take tactile ASL signing classes.

Life's not all bad traveling in the slowest lane
Sometimes the sun shines, other times it's shady
Let my signing hands play and dance in the rain
I'll live tactually like a proper deaf-blind lady.

Written by Ipo
May 21, 2009