lenten journal: progress report

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progress report

it’s been about two months
since I tried to put words
to learning to live with
after market material
tucked under the skin
on the side of my skull

I am learning to navigate
dueling Bluetooths (Blueteeth?)
each ear competing to
host incoming sounds
and then there’s the
hole in my eardrum

a remnant of arepair
that has not fully healed
and sends a small screech
through my brain when I burp
oh–and every mid-afternoon
means a battery change

my last hearing test was
a ten-fold improvement
on the one pre-surgery
and I can understand the
spoken prayer requests
as I stand in the pulpit

it’s been a long, long time
since hearing came easy
still I don’t hear myself
say, “say it again” as often
and the daily changes are
incremental advancements

four and a half months in
what it takes to hear holds
more hope than frustration
perhaps part of the practice
required of me in these days
is to let that be enough for now

Peace,
Milton

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