Clarity Of the Blind

It feels like the blind who could never see, where lost vision is clouding the sea.
But I am not an atheist so I cannot answer fairly.
How it feels to drift across an ocean of black,
especially knowing that there is no way back.
But what of a man who once knew his way?
What would you ask of him, for he at least he tried, not throw his life away.
What of the sighted man who has surveyed all before him?
Would one ask him how feels to be blind,
when he knows nothing of the darkened spirit in his mind.
Perhaps the question then best asked is;
What of the dreams of the eye that sees not?
Liquified morsels of phantoms of thought!
Is there anything beyond our world of rods and cones?
Or is it simply a world full of countless unknowns?
The sighted take for granted the world we see with our eyes.
We where it as if it is our own personal twisted disguise.
Our vision is clouded by all that we see.
But what of being blind, imagine the clarity.

Author's Note

My daughter X'Avia was born 3 1/2 months premature.

She slowly gained wait in the NICU and had a couple of minor complications, nothing to worry about.

At about 2 1/2 months or so after birth she developed abnormal blood vessel growth in the retinas of both her eyes.

She was choppered from Sac in Cali to Childrens in Oakland, CA where treatment was administered. All signs were normal.

Then she developed cloudiness around the retina of the right which spread into the cornea as well.

There was talk of a corneal transplant to correct the problem but there is nothing other than liquid to attach a cornea to in her right eye.

She is 100% blind in it and will remain so the rest of her life.

This piece is my grief.

Reviews

[KAOlmsted]

Your daughter sounds like a fighter...strong little girl...fought her way out of that NICU...remember that; it could have been much worse. As parents, we hate to see anything hurting our babies, and we would gladly trade our own lives for theirs, so I feel your pain. Trust in your higher power, know everything happens for a reason, and what does not kill us makes us stronger...she has already demonstrated the latter. It doesn't take 2 eyes to see how much you love her...

It's good to vent the grief, but also embrace the blessing...your beautiful daughter is alive :-)

[quinfinn]

nice job, kimmer!

[KAOlmsted]

(thanks, quin)

[realmwriter]

I have written more poems about her being alive than this one about her being blind in one eye, I just choose to, at least for now, keep them private.

Thank you so much for the stellar review Kim. It really does mean a lot to me.
And I do very much embrace that she is alive.

[KAOlmsted]

Of course you do xoxo And it's my pleasure. Take good care.

[realmwriter]

You too...!

[Daisy Morgy]

aww this was so touching and inspirational!! you should be proud

[realmwriter]

Thank you so much for the review. I truly appreciate it...!

[Ruth]

Oh hon, moved me...but she is strong and I am so pleased she is gonna be ok :) Good to see you :)

[Pete Langley]

I feel for you, my friend. How much we want our kids to thrive and grow unhindered and healthy.... as parents we feel their every problem as painfully as if we suffered it ourselves....but kids constantly astound us with their adaptability. As time goes on, I`m confident with your nurturing, she will amaze you!

[realmwriter]

She already has my friend. She already has. I am sure she will continue to do so all the rest of the days of my life. She will get a prosthetic that will have to be replaced every few years or so till she stops growing, but at least her eyes will look normal. I don't, for her sake, want to be the pissed off dad who comes to school because some little kid was teasing her. That means that I would have to deal with another pissed off parent that feel they have the right to defend there child when they didn't raise their child any differently than themselves...

Thank you for reading and reviewing this piece, it means a lot to me...!

[Pete Langley]

My absolute pleasure:)

[Rita L. Sev]

This is a truly beautiful piece. We may learn a lot through our senses, but the heart and mind have so many ways to take in the world. Feeling your love for her will serve your little girl so much better than anything she might see in this often distorted world. Excellent write!

[realmwriter]

Thank you so very much for these kind words Rita. I am grateful.

[quinfinn]

i am saddened to know of your daughters problems. but, if she has the vision her father demonstrates it will not effect the way she "sees" this world. excellent piece here, my friend..and remember, they are making new advances in medicine all the time!

[realmwriter]

I know this. It is why, if I have anything to say about it, and I do, the shell of her eye will remain intact. So as to put in a prosthesis that will, at least allow her to look normal. I also had an idea that involves using biosynthetic materials and fMRIs to perhaps create a fully functioning human eye. I know there is existing research in the field and it is all very exciting. I plan to get more involved. Who knows, while it may not be able to help my daughter now or in the near future, it may be able to help someone. That is what counts...!

Thank you for the review Quinn. I am honored my friend...!

[Don Shaw]

Amazing work. I am sorry for your daughter loss of sight.

[realmwriter]

Thank you very much Don. It is only missing in the right eye, her left eye is fine...!