If I told you I was deaf would you turn away
Or would I read your lips that tell me its ok
Would you understand if I start to use my hands
And tell you how I feel
If I tried to speak and the words weren’t complete
Would you smile and think less of me
Or do you really see me for me and not a disability
If I began to stare would you realise
How much I need to see and listen with my eyes
If I began to touch would you be offended
If I began to point to what I want or intended
You can take my hearing aid
To you its just another game
You can take my love yes that’s ok
No matter what you take from me
Can’t take my identity
It’s mine
But come closer I want to share it with you
I will show you how to sign the words
I love you too
I will show you how to laugh and be proud
I don’t care who’s watching I want to I sign it out loud
Can you see me for me and not my disability
Would it sound strange to say
I am a language minority
Take me for who I am and I can laugh with you
See me for what I am and show some respect too
Only then you will find that in visual mind
I just might love you too.
As well as being a poet, Colin Thomson is a family support worker and is a freelance BSL/Deaf Awareness trainer. He is also a signed singer, possibly one of the first in the UK, performing for the first time over 35 years ago. He has performed on See Hear and at various Deaf events, and is the fourth generation of his family to be born Deaf.
Please take a moment to check out the sponsors who make this site possible!
The Limping Chicken is supported by Deaf media company Remark!, sign language communications agency Deaf Umbrella, provider of video interpreting services SignVideo, the RAD Deaf Law Centre, and Remote Captioning provider Bee Communications.
Anne
January 12, 2013
Lovely words and it goes into the heart.
Poochie
July 18, 2013
Sssssssooooooooo beautiful!!!! It touch me because I am deaf myself.
Mathew Rongmei
September 28, 2013
Only the deaf can hear whisper of nature while others not.
Joa
May 21, 2014
Please add me on Facebook – tried finding you – no success – Joa lee – group = Carers Of the Deaf Society (C.O.D.S.)
Love the ” If I were deaf would you turn away” poem
patricia Bunn
February 1, 2015
Can’t understand why people treat the deaf so badly,it can be so cruel,and you end up loosing all your confidence.
I speak from experience,as i’m deaf.
Renuka Rameshan
February 24, 2015
Oh I just love this. So clear. So good. So complete. So expressive. I run an NGO called Family Care and I do some programmes, being a sign language interpreter, for the deaf. Can I print this poem in our year book? The whole page?