My Ears
by rebecca ~ January 4th, 2007. Filed under: Poems & art.
(painting by me)
My Ears
A dog is barking terrier terror
and the sleepy young man jumps
into a jumpsuit of fear
before crumpling and slumping away.
My ears heard it happen and told me so.
They are my little boys eager to help.
They sweep floors, humming, chittering
about who said what on that table
or this sidewalk, nosing dust like pups,
and they’ll never grow old or bored
of smalltalk.
To some, ears prove an embarrassment,
an extra pair of primeval hands
they muffle their ears with long hairy gloves.
But I like to fold the cartilage
into those tiny pop-up books
filled with tales of Van Gogh on trombone
and listen to their ocean waves roll
and bask in the applause.
These immature wings love me wildly
and I love them back the same.
If only they’d develop a little more finesse,
I am sure they’d flap from their silken nest,
flutter about like pale butterflies
and return to me chockfull of good news.