A Talk Not Heard
Sat up close to hear
They say he spoke of Shakespeare’s plays
And especially Lear
Oh, pity me! There’s another thing,
I’ve missed. I cupped my ear,
But it was like
A distant horn on a misty lake, would rise
Then fade, a kind of moan.
This morning, Jake,
Our poodle, ate my hearing aid.
What’s next, I thought?
If I close my eyes
It would be like a private world
I’ll wait it out, and reminisce;
Watch the audience for all the cues
I’d otherwise miss: for when to smile,
And when it’s time to stand and clap,
To turn to the fellow by my side
And say, that’s really great,