With the Volume Turned Down Way Too Low

I hope it’s only temporary, this cotton-wool muffle
of everyday sound, with random crackle
of static, constant shower of white noise
and high-hat cymbal of gravel
on an empty road.
I’m bombarded with percussion
when I want to hear words,
a human voice, the television
and the ring of the telephone.
Until normal service is resumed,
the volume is way too low;
the only thing I hear
loud and clear
is the clamouring of new-born poems,
a Beethoven choral fantasy to my ears.

Kim M. Russell, 3rd December 2019

Image result for Beethoven
Image from Wikipedia

My response to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Get Listed: January Edition

Sanaa is hosting the first ‘Get Listed’ of 2019, with a poem by Shelley, thoughts on January and the New Year, and a new list of words from which to choose.

For this edition, she asks us to choose any three words that fit best with the mood/theme/personality of a poem on a topic of our choice. I’ve chosen to write about my current (hopefully) temporary deafness, using the words gravel, poems and percussion.

24 thoughts on “With the Volume Turned Down Way Too Low”

  1. Such delicious phrasing in this poem, Kim ❤️ from ” this cotton-wool muffle,” to “a Beethoven choral fantasy to my ears,” I loved every word. Hopefully the deafness you are experiencing is temporary 🙂 and all will be back to normal soon. Thank you so much for writing to the prompt. ❤️

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  3. I hope this deafness is temporary. I had a spell in my mid-40’s where my ears rang so loudly! The “high-hat cymbal of gravel on an empty road”..very expressive of the rattle and hum of deafness. I so hope for you!

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    1. Thank you, dear Toni. I had my ears syringed this afternoon. I can hear a little better but the noises are still there. The hearing test that was started on 28th December will be resumed in a couple of weeks.

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  5. May I please marry your last three lines? I promise to work very hard to make them happy. What a glorious visual song made poem.

    I do hope the hearing issues are temporary. I lost some of my hearing in my left ear (from the nightmare to the ears that is pop-pop-boom of life fire). I’m used to it now. But, like your poem suggests, the beginning of it was not pleasant.

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    1. You have my permission to marry those lines, Magaly, and I know that you’ll make them happy. 🙂

      I had both ears syringed this afternoon and there is a little improvement but I will have more tests to find out what the problem is in a few weeks time, It seemed very isolating not being able to follow conversations and blasting my poor husband with louder volumes than usual, but I have had some nights of better sleep!

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  6. I hope they get to the bottom of this problem and that it’s nothing serious. I have had temporary bouts of deafness from blockages and infections, and it is exactly how you describe it – some sounds, frequencies and wavelengths become muffled while others become overly loud – it’s such an odd, peculiar and alienating feeling, as well as annoying – so keep a light heart and spirit as best you can Kim. And yes, herein lies the heart of a poet and a determined spirit who takes the adverse and transforms it into a magical moment, (as so well worded in the poem) and end on a high note of hope.

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  7. As a wearer of hearing aids I can sympathise with, remembering the frequent misunderstandings of muffled sounds and my wifes moaning at me having the TV on too loud, Let’s hope they can find the problem and help without resorting to aids like me.

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    1. Thank you, Robin. My ears were syringed yesterday and there is some improvement. Now I’m waiting for the rest of the hearing test I started last week. My friend has hearing aids in both ears, has had for a while, and I know how much they help.

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  10. I feel the longing to return to hearing that which we often try and escape from. Careful what we wish for… I do so hope all goes well. At least the creative spark can’t be silenced!

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