SERIOUS STUFF

Do we hear the gentle summer breeze
or, do we hear the howling winter storm,
light droplets of rain unnoticed go
yet the pounding monsoon rains
cannot easily be ignored,
we tend to tune out a small plane's sound
but are attracted to the jumbo's jets,
one may but faintly hear a violin string
while taking full note of the orchestra,
perhaps the soft of speech
are often paid little attention to,
while those more boisterous
have the floor and are listened to.

Let us not dwell on levels of decibel,
much more of import the listener's attitude -
is the party being addressed
ready, willing, to listen to you
with full attention, an open mind,
eager to hear what message you want to impart,
or are you in for a cursory sector of their time,
a, "Lets talk about this later", frame of mind,
even more direct, "I don't want to talk about it now",
how then can we communicate
when one has something important to state
while the other, perhaps in a more commanding stance,
closes their mind with a pretext, or just turns away -
do you see any problems in behaving this rude way.

A child inquisitive or with problem
to parent wants to speak, but is turned away,
spouses to each other wish to speak
but they are not heard,
an employee with concern
to his manager wishes to speak
but his request denied,
a patient to his doctor confides
the physician too busy to take note,
when those that thus turn a deaf ear,
or when spoken to listen not,
need themselves to be seriously heard,
there may not be anyone there
for them to be listened to,
would you judge that to be a fair turn.

Herbert Holzbauer
© October 2002

Midi: "Take My Breath Away"
(Berlin)

Art: "Serious"
Artist: Georgie Young