Surrounded by Silence

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consider ..............

a life without sound

where you become locked

inside your own thoughts

caught in a world of silence

unable to hear the bark

of branches of a silver birch

as they creak under the weight

of a heavy green canopy

or the drone of honey bees 

as they hover over honeysuckle

tumbling from fretwork trellis

like a fountain in spring

nor would you hear the high

pitch whistle of a red kite as it

soars in flight in a bright blue

sky ready to swoop for a kill 

the thrum of an old engine

polished till gleaming as it

kick starts its way into a brand

new day would be unheard

as would the mellow voice

of a lover whispering sweet words

that you are loved beyond all

measure

hearing is a gift, a good friend

a treasure trove since there

are no guarantees that it will

remain unimpaired

Reviews

[Scatterbrain bookworm]

I really enjoyed reading this poem. It allowed me to appreciate my ability to hear a lot more and makes me wonder just how different and even difficult life without sound is for hearing impaired individuals. Thank you for allowing me to ponder on what life would be like without sound, Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. I appreciate them.

[Sami Khalil]

"the mellow voice
of a lover whispering sweet words
that you are loved beyond all
measure"

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Sami.

[Sami Khalil]

"consider ..............
a life without sound
where you become locked
inside your own thoughts
caught in a world of silence"

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Sami.

[Sami Khalil]

Muchly welcome...

[Lorry]

A silent world would be a lonely and terrifying place to find yourself in Chris. I SAID A SILENT WORLD WOULD BE A LONELY PLACE INDEED!
To know longer hear favourite music, sounds of familiar voices and of course, the wake up sounds of dawns chorus,stream slipping by, wind rustling leaves... Would be a terible place to find yourself in.
Empathy abounds in your lines and brings to mind little Lorry, age 6 and a half almost's fearful thoughts of going blind, deaf or mute and being locked into an ever silent, unseeing or voiceless world... Which itself led to even scarier thoughts and realisations that your parents will die one day and you start the slow descent into madness, aka, life.
And ill end on that cheery note 😀

[Chris Shaw]

Poor little Lorry is all I can say. What alot of worry for a child to have on their mind, but you is all growed up now aren't you? Hopefully your world now isn't plagued by those thoughts.

Chris

[Lorry]

Na, spend all my thoughts on retro sweets. Currently thinking of splicer bars, ehich were like a pack of opal fruits squished together into a chew bar. Tangtastic 😀

[Chris Shaw]

Now your talkin. I love opal fruits. They are fruity yummy. The pink ones are the bestest. Happy Friday Lorry.

[Lorry]

Glad you featured this one to give it an airing once more. You know when re-reading something a few years down the line gives you fresh perspective? Well this one made me realise that this was describing lockdown in a time we thought coronavirus was a yeast infection brought on by too much beer 😊
Hope you're well in post lockdown utopia 😊

[Chris Shaw]

How right you are Lorry. Thanks for revisiting. Yes, lockdowns. Plenty of isolation and silence there for many. Especially those living on their own. Must have been purgatory for them. Seems a long time ago now. Left many with mental health problems. Who would gave thought it? Locking people up like that. Utopia? Ha!! Just another load of shite we are having to deal with now:)

[Lorry]

Yes. This week we're even revisiting the cold War by wondering if WW3 is about to begin. It was only a matter of time before we went all retro on that again. I just really hope big hair and padded shoulders don't come back too. I never suited that miami vice look the first time around. 😊

[Chris Shaw]

You know I was always partial to those shoulder pads and Kim Wilde hair:))Yeah WW3, never a dull
read moreYou know I was always partial to those shoulder pads and Kim Wilde hair:))Yeah WW3, never a dull
Moment eh? Wish someone would sort that bear out once and for all

[Lorry]

I suited neither 😊

[DIVYA]

To be in a world of silence feels quite mystical. And yet I know some great people who make up for the loss of this sense by honing or sharpening their other senses. With their keen sense of smell and their eagle eyes. Really, being with them i wouldn't even realize i was with someone who cannot hear. Often they're so well adjusted and developed that they're superior at handling everyday situations than us. A thoughtful poem that I loved reading absolutely.

[Chris Shaw]

Dear DIVYA, I have heard that too, how the loss of one of the senses can make the others sharper. We do take our senses for granted never appreciating their true value. It is lovely to gave a visit from you. Take good care of yourself. Hugs across the waters.

((.)). Chris

[DIVYA]

Indeed, dear friend, life must be appreciated in all its color, sound and visual glory! Hugs to you and many fond regards, always!

[Ladysue]

Chris, hearing truly is a gift. You have delicately and precisely articulated this gift that some may not even notice at times. A wonderful reminder to be a little more mindful and grateful. Your poem is beautiful in content and images. :)

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Sue for your thoughtful review. Pleased you enjoyed my pondering.

Chris

[Ladysue]

Your welcome.. :)

[...]

To don't hear the sound and human voice. It's can make life - lifeless . Special when you was born not deaf. But lost your hearing during the life time. Which is not rare. We are living in noises and our ears are not made for them. Same like we are not made to be live at prison etc. To don't hear my favorite songs and voice of my wife that will be great punishment for me. You created here very strong atmosphere of isolation and solitude. Each stanza expanding imagination into beautiful metaphors with sad taste of losing something what make us not just alive but also humans.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thank yous Martin for your thoughtful response. Your visits are much appreciated.

Chris

[Ana Papaya]

My father and younger brother both wear hearing aids.
I imagine for them putting in their hearing aid is much like me putting my glasses on.
There's a whole world out there we are missing out on when we can't see it hear it.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Ana. At least technogy is improving now. I know several people who have hearing aids and struggle with them. Getting a build up of noise like whistling ringing in their ears. We take our senses for granted.

Chris

[Ana Papaya]

Yes, we sure do.... and you're welcome. ;)

[.]

A loss of any sense is quite underrated; we depend on them so much, taking them for granted and when we lose one the result can be quite defining. We can become alienated from normal life and it is difficult to feel a part of normal society in some ways. It's a theme i can relate toand one which I have seen experienced by my own close loved ones. As you said, hearing is a gift and we should be grateful for its bounty. So well written, Christine. Touching and original.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you so much Jamila. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. All good wishes.

Chris

[John Alexander McFadyen]

I set off thinking this a metaphor and indeed it is and takes us through some of the sounds that we often take for granted. To be unable to hear them and to simply live inside one's own thoughts is indeed not a nice contemplation. Nicely penned in colourful detail and crisp verse.

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks John for reviewing and sharing your thoughts. Appreciated.

Chris