i thought not.

normalcy.
how do you decipher between hearing in mono and stereo
you would block off sound right?
maybe with your hand or even turn off a speaker on one side
for me, mono is all i know
my lack of an ear has always made me have to listen that much more
that much more closely
to the timber in someone's voice
sometimes even hearing their words in syncopation with their heartbeat bouncing off their tongue
like hearing them say "i'm all good" as their dignity sweats down their own throat to their gut
dropping them to their knees inside, but outside they stand so tall
and outside, all i can do is give them a hug
and that to me
is normal

speed.
how do you measure the speed in which a child becomes beyond joyed when he gets that exact baseball bat he wanted
or how quick the delicate, lonely heavy silence is broken
by music that stimulates a soul for a lifetime, that promises to never abandon you ever
how long does it take for you to realize those chips on your shoulder are only chips because you believe they are
and that at any point, you can reach over, grab them, make them any flavor you want, and eat them
and they would seize to exist
can you weigh the empty of a bleak future at the mercy of circumstance for all the bad decisions of the world
or compute how many chicken noodle soups and grilled cheese sandwiches it's going to take to heal
what incremental form can quantify the momentum of love
the burst of love's fierceness
the explosion of love's spontaneous

somethings we can't capture or define
like a flood
a natural disaster
all we can do
if we are so lucky
is to show up
and hope there is something to listen to
pray that joy from that kid and his new bat rubs off on you
dance when the music plays
savor the crunch and taste of each and every chip
slurp the soup and pound down the grilled cheese
get so full till even them bad decisions have no choice but to believe

i personally know not the speed of inspiration
i just know that when it comes
i hope it chooses me to be one of the fortunate one's