Set my Hearing Aids for Blackbirds

 

Three autumn leaves
A crack in the pavement
Nearby a blackbird
Love the sound of a blackbird
Strong, and clear,

A blackbird is purposeful

In the morning broadcasting

His plans for the day

My hearing these days not the best
A shame
 
Hearing aids,
“Now is the time Sir, your new hearing aids
What in particular
Are you listening for
And we’ll offer you hearing aids to match.”
 
What sort of a question is that?
‘I want to hear the footsteps on the moon!’
Nah, that’s being stupid.
 
I’m paying as much for these hearing aids as I would for a small car.
Why are they so pricey?
They make hundreds, no thousands, of these things.
A big machine, Whump! Whump! Stamps them out.
 
“Look buddy, sorry, Ma-am
(Do they still say Ma-am?)
I want to listen to my family
“Poppa, would you . . .?
“Hey Poppa look what . . .
“I’m hungry
 
And I want to be able to switch ‘em orf
Both the hearing aids and the family
 
But
Just as important:
In the morning
After the first highlight of the day –
Breakfast
I walk along the road
Up the steps
Under the trees
 
Blackbirds
Love the sound of blackbirds
Set my hearing aids for blackbirds please
Ma-am, Sir, buddy
 
And verily the hearing aids were set to blackbird
 
I don’t quite understand this
But hearing aids can somehow affect your balance
And
When I’m on the bike
I can hear stuff behind me

Yes
I can set ‘em for all around sound
Or diminished for restaurant clatter
A setting for music!
Bach
and the good old Sixties
Oh yeah
ABBA
I ain’t got no class Duckie
 
I wonder
Hearing aids
Do they make ‘em to hear in colour?
 
Just a thought
Could they make Chirping Aids?
For poor souls like me
Who find the price of hearing aids
.  .   .

 

A morning walk up the steps

Three autumn leaves

Black Birds