I am deaf and not your simile

I am deaf not deaf,

not small d death

as some people

like to say,

but little d

as in leaf,

as in small l life,

even though,

you have to

drop the l

and add the d,

for all of us

to get and end there,

although neither is

usually capitalized

unless it

refers to themselves,

big letter I.

–

Count me

among the living

and not the dead,

especially not among

the senseless

walking dead

as they shamble along.

–

Count me

among the leaves

on the big T Tree

and not a single leaf

falling lonely in the

start of your own winter—

–

as not as a single leaf

falling lonely in the

start of your own winter.