a curse
visited upon my inner ears, years ago
still plagues me  

many days
I wobble when I walk, though my legs still strong
my heart nowhere near done
with its billion beats    

I hear little
without the aid of pink plastic molds, microchips
which bless me with a roar

this morning, before the sun
in a gray stillness that promised rain  
I left them on the bedside stand  

the air is cool yet  
I am awash with silence and can’t remember
when I awoke this early, to such
a soothing symphony