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Shafts of light, each a different shade, diaphanous but gathered-

Put a hand through, dip, spread fingers.

How to explain this to someone who is blind?

Think of warmth orchestrated, leaves sheer as sand scooped

and scattered with skill, purpose.

 

So this is a stage of legs, torsos, hair spreading apart

and later entwined-

Mist breaking across a face, air patches twisting

while these bodies try to reach as lovers

through half-sleep's edgy sheets.

 

Now comes a piccolo, the beaten drum

and swishing feet which suddenly thump.

 

How to explain this to someone who is deaf?

 

Feel seats, the carpet's itchy correspondence.

Fingers count, toes flex, sensing motion,

levels, waves…

 

Meanwhile, referring to notes, criticism criticises criticism

as these three dancers, detached to those scribbles,

leap, float, arch,

the blind & deaf know,

saying more always.

 

Stephen Mead is a retired Civil Servant, having worked two decades for three state agencies. Before that his more personally fulfilling career was fifteen years in healthcare. Throughout all these jobs he was able to find time for writing poetry/essays, and creating art. Occasionally he even got paid for this work. Currently he is resident artist/curator for The Chroma Museum, artistic renderings of LGBTQI historical figures, organizations and allies predominantly before Stonewall, https://thestephenmeadchromamuseum.weebly.com/