A Silent Perspective

Everywhere.
Silence.
I cannot hear the echo of my own footsteps along the pavement;
The sound is foreign to my ears, but it is
Familiar to others.
The crowd surges toward me,
Engulfing my tiny frame in its festive ambiance.
I force a smile to disguise the pain in my heart.
Mouths are slightly open, laughter
Escaping through parted lips.
Silent laughter.
I can only hear with my eyes.
I gaze upon an unknown countenance and
Imagine the sound of a voice, what it is to have a
Voice.
My voice consists of a series of hand signals few individuals can
Comprehend.
I envy those who are normal.
The waves of suppressed despair finally concede.
I yearn for freedom from this abysmal depression.
Release these chains and allow my tortured soul to mend.
I look in the mirror, and I witness a monster.
I perceive myself the way everyone else sees me.
Society’s misinterpretation of my world is the cause,
My pitiful self-reflection, the effect.
I possess neither the ability nor the willpower to understand Your
Stereotypes. I will never grasp the puzzle that is You.
I cannot conceive of placing myself into Your shoes until
You recognize what it is to be deaf, what it is to live
A silent perspective.