Inquiring Eye

National Poetry Month, Day 16


My eyes have changed over the years, especially since 2003.

In 2003, when I went to the eye doctor for a regular checkup, the doctor discovered I had a "Macular Hole" in my left eye.  This is not the same as Macular Degeneration; it's an injury to the macula of the retina that causes a pucker in the macula, which then pulls a hole in the macula.  If I'd gone for a checkup more regularly, instead of waiting five years to go, this might have been repaired.  But by the time I went, it was really too late.  The retinologist did several surgeries to try and repair it, but they didn't work.  In the process, I developed a detached retina in that eye, which he was able to repair. 

As a result, I have lost the central vision in that eye; still have lots of peripheral vision, though. And since the right eye still works, it compensates, and I can still read and drive and see birds, etc.
But I am very protective of that right eye!

In the last year, in photographs, I have noticed that my impaired left eye now wanders off to the side, so I always look a little cockeyed.  This was an unexpected development!  The photos show the changes:

1970

 

 

                                                                     1979

1995

 

 

2007

 

 

2014

 

 

Interesting: another result of aging:  my eyebrows have gone grey and faded so much that it looks like I have no eyebrows.  

 

 

So.... anyway, this poem came today:

 

 

 

 

Inquiring Eye

 

 

Gluey with pollen’s morning,

cataracts growing like fine mildew,

how long will you see?

how long will you be my seer?

 

Blue of my father’s eye,

will you see with his ninety three years?

will you see people but not know them?

Already your partner is partially blind.

Will you stay true to the end?

 

Still you show me the

eye line of the warbler,

 eye ring of the kinglet.

Still you give me the link to

the brain’s recognition.

 

Shakespeare’s Cornwall cried

Out, vile jelly!

but you are my fragile jelly,

my treasured pearl.

 

 

 

 the eye line of the Cerulean Warbler

 

eye ring of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet