AFFLICTED EAR

AFFLICTED EAR WHEN AN EAR IS AFFLICTED
IT CAN BE PREDICTED

THAT SOUNDS, ONCE SHARP AND CLEAR,
ARE AMONG THE THINGS YOU HARDLY HEAR

EVEN WHEN THE SOURCE IS NEAR
YOU BARELY HEAR THEM IN YOUR EAR

WHEN YOUR FRIENDS MAKE CONVERSATION
THERE’S INSUFFICIENT STIMULATION

OF THE AUDITORY KIND
TO BRING THE MESSAGE TO YOUR MIND

WHEN MANY PEOPLE YOU’RE AROUND
THERE IS USUALLY TOO MUCH SOUND

EVEN THOUGH YOU GRIPE AND GRUMBLE
ALL YOUR FRIENDS STILL SEEM TO MUMBLE
THEIR CONVERSATION IS A JUMBLE

WHEN YOUR HEARING STARTS TO GO
IT’S VERY DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW

FOR AS YOU’RE HEARING LOSS INCREASES
UNDERSTANDING TALK DECREASES

MY UNDERSTANDING’S BASED ON WHETHER
PEOPLE RUN THEIR WORDS TOGETHER

FOR I CAN SAY, “I HEAR YOU BEST”
WITH EACH WORD SEPARATE FROM THE REST

YOU COULD BE, SO PLAINLY HEARD,
IF YOU’D SEPARATE EACH WORD

FOR TALK THAT’S AT A SLOWER RATE
CAN WITH THE DEAF COMMUNICATE

TALK THAT’S LOUD MAY BE IN VAIN
IT’S MORE IMPORTANT TO SPEAK PLAIN

SO THAT SPACES CAN BE HEARD
BETWEEN EACH AND EVERY WORD

AND FOR THE DEAF IT WOULD BE THRILLABLE
IF FOLKS WOULD SEPARATE EACH SYLLABLE
p=. …..

TO IMPROVE THE SOUND THAT’S MADE
WE RUN IT THROUGH A HEARING AID

BUT, AND I MUST MAKE THIS CLEAR,
IT’S NOT LIKE A NATURAL EAR

SO, IT SHOULD REALLY BE A RULE
THAT PROPER SPEECH BE TAUGHT IN SCHOOL

FOR IF YOU CAN MAKE IT CLEAR
TO THE DEAF, THEN ALL CAN HEAR