They Came To Entertain Us Poem by Jim Yerman

They came to entertain us…high school students from St. Augustine
They came to dance…and I have to say their dancing was anything but routine.

And they were beautiful, these students, they came in all shapes and kinds
most of them were deaf…and a few of them were blind.

I saw the joy upon their face…never once did I see fear
as they danced…and performed together…to music they could not hear.

I love to experience moments when my consciousness expands
like watching students who couldn't hear…dance…while singing with their hands.

I love Spanish, French and Italian…romance languages not to be missed
but I wonder…is it possible to add sign language to that list.

Spanish, French and Italian are pleasing to the ears…which comes as no surprise
but signing is the only language that's pleasing to the eyes.

There was a point in their performance when one of the students just by chance
put his two hands out in front of me and invited me to dance…

I could hear the music playing…I even knew the song
so I threw off my inhibitions and happily went along.

I forgot, however, I have no rhythm…the best I can do is prance
but the young deaf boy was patient and he showed me how to dance.

And though he didn't improve my rhythm…he got me dancing to the beat
and I discovered the joy of music wasn't in my ears or the joy of dancing in my feet.

As I tried to follow his movements…as I tried desperately to keep pace
I found the joy in me that moment could be found upon my face….

We all enter this world with certain limitations as well as certain gifts
And as I sat back down in my chair it made me wonder if…

The purest joy of life…as these students so easily express
Is to never take for granted the wonders we possess.