Hear You

She looked all of a naïve primary school girl

Bright eyed, face smiling, small built and hair that curl.

And she won’t listen

She said, “Be loud, so I can hear You”.

Her mother informed of her hearing impairment

Yet with her infectious nonchalant beam, she would befriend.

Some complained she spoke too loud

She said, “Be loud, so I can hear You”.

She was indifferent to the stares and whispers

She spoke innocently without filters.

She was blissfully unaware of the mute happiness she radiated

She said, “Be loud, so I can hear You”.

For such a fragile girl, she was surely well kempt  

Long hair tied tidily, scarf-secured to fight icy breeze and clothes ironed.

She stood proud and apart

She said, “Be loud, so I can hear You”.

Every morning the eyes would search this tiny being; wondering if she heard the bell

She would always be the last one to emerge out of her shell.

Being late never looked so graceful

She said, “Be loud, so I can hear You”.

Once when asked, ‘If all was well?’

She flustered, shifted uncomfortably and mumbled a few valuable words to tell.

Being a witness of this bravery, a stone heart could melt

She said, “Be loud, so I can hear You”.

She didn’t turn up, one day

Search saw her shivering under a thick overweight blanket; the big teary eyes gave way.

This is how broken looked 

She said, “Be loud, so I can hear You”.

She laid her faith in bag full of medicines

Put all her effort to understand life beyond pills.

Failing miserably

She said, “Be loud, so I can hear You”.

Before she left she enquired with hopeful eyes,

“Will I be able to ‘hear’ if I did everything I learnt here?”

Eyes of a loner conveyed, “Be quiet; so you can hear You.”

She said, “Be loud, so I can hear You”.