Long Hard of hearing Poems

a collaborative work with Alfred Vassalo


The Stars sparkled in her eyes
As light interlaced with her shadow
Causing her to question her senses
Even though she closed her eyes
light continued to seep out

Her brilliance, competed with the sun...

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The Limerick, Pennsylvania Nuclear power plant siren wailed

yesterday at 1400 hours December the fourth
and probably broadcast further
east, west, south and north.

That shrill ear-piercing
emitted sound quite painful
despite measurable diminution
regarding my audiological ability,
which loss of hearing
linkedin to...

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I wish you could understand my pain. The crack you put in my foundation. The wing you clipped from this earth angel. The crying is so loud in my heart, my head, it hurts. Before...

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Avoiding the unpleasantries of the Barbarians At The Gate                          ...

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How tenderly you cared for me
when you found me broken on the road
did lift me up gave me your own cup
removed from me my heavy load
 
You dressed my wounds with healing balm
every injury you...

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If you are angry with me 
Or with anyone or everyone
For some (in-)explicable reasons, 
Then, this poem is meant for you!

My basic hypothesis: 
In a moment of anger
There will be choice—almost always.
Choose the best.
A taxonomy...

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2.



"Those who have gone astray, whom [the Holy Spirit] itself begets, usually go
astray also because of the Spirit.  Thus, by this one and the same breath, the
fire blazes and is put out."

--- From the...

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I know that I’m not perfect, just go and ask me wife.
At times she’s kind of said - I’m the bane of her life,
but on her better days she wouldn’t trade me for a thing,
and...

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I'm a speech punk; kind of a menace
Not sure if the word is permissible in these parts
But that's the word I need, life's a furnace
So flush that. Gosh, you leave me no choice
I'm trying to...

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An owl sat on our tree outside, and Dragon was completely mesmerized.
So Dragon ask what was his name, and Who was all that he devised.
Dragon said YOU, you silly bird; it’s YOUR name, which I...

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You,*

                               Hard-of-hearing,

   ...

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Working in a bookstore my eyes gaze out on a million words that captivate and endear…but nothing quite compares with one word I often hear.

Yes I hear the word Mom many times from the counter...

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No rocket surgeon,
     nor brain scientist called upon
but only Rudolf the red nose reindeer
solicited as psychological mentor
yes...undoubtedly countless
     decades removed since queer  
(not very gay at...

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Before they silence my voice
Under jackboots and bone crushing dogs
I must set fort before dusk
As I am shielded 
By his gore
And crafted like Daniel
In the lions den
And Jonah in the whales gut

I must scurry to...

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Mere Minutes Into May Sixth, 2019

Heron entombed within b44 man cave
at Highland Manor Apartments sitting
in catbird seat after shower and shave
attuned to silence permeating airwave
wondering what comprises silence music

to these keenly attuned ears as agave
tastes...

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Abuelito
The name that rang like bells throughout my home
Like the song of cumbia and regeton that your body will dance to
As you would call out “mija, ven aqui”
And you would take my hands and elope...

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Captain MacEvoy
Did hunt in corduroy
But the zipping kept on tipping off the game.
He never bagged a deer
For they could plainly hear
His trousers, loud and clear, as he took aim.

He never understood,
While hiding in the wood,
How...

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When all our chores are done                             ...

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MY skies are turning grey, there's silence in the air..
    The clouds are weighing heavy, especially in my eyes...
    My days are passing quickly by, the years have almost...

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Sleep eludes me
Women, kids, money, dreams, problems
Cycle in and out
Numb to the present
I can't do anything about
Run from here to there
Every place becomes intolerable
Where will I rest my head
When there's no there there
And I'm stuck
Well...

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I feel numb beneath this skin…
This skin from deep within…
I’m thin and then…
I’m fat with loath again…
Greed I feed on
Envy and so on…
I’m a shining sun…
A dusked dawn…
I don’t feel pity
I know I look shitty
I...

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I had an heart ache yesterday......... 
So closed my lamp
& call off the day. 

I dreamt.....i sweat
Saw you in light........
While I was in dark & wet. 

Saw the moon....
Which we share everyday 
Fiddling with river...

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STATE OF THE ART HEARING-AID

I’m digging up the garden beds, preparing for the spring,
with a magpie and two blackbirds waiting for anything
that moves so they can pounce on it and scoff the tasty bug,
before waiting...

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“Lord, mine enemies multiply,
bootlicks grow brazen.
Put thy boot upon their necks.
curse all no-nodding nay-sayers.

Silence.

David:
“The Lord scoffs at them, rebukes them in His anger.”

Silence.

“Answer me when I call You my righteous God.”

A Voice:

Read me a sweeter...

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What is that thing? My husband asked in a persnickety way and not with glee.
I pretended I had no idea he was pointing to my new pal, Poindexter Cat.
Is it a dog? He queried. “It...

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