"Finch Station" by: Steve McOrmond

"After a long day, you'd think we'd drag our feet. But we're all elbows, jostling to catch the next bus home. The boy and girl embracing near the stairs aren't in any hurry. Their stillness makes them central."

I really liked this poem because the speaker is so captivated by the couple who are in complete contrast to everything around them. We learn that one of the people, or both, are deaf and communicate through sign language. The poem has an interesting take on this observation. With the allusions to Milton and Beethoven the speaker comes to conclude that having a "disability" can actually be an advantage. I like the idea the speaker makes about deafness being an advantage because this couple is not caught up in the machine-like manner that everyone else has conformed to. I feel as though in this moment the speaker secretly wishes that he were deaf or blind so that he could share as intimate experiences like the couple does, even in the most unlikely places. I have heard that the loss of one of the senses can often lead to other senses being heightened, thus becoming more aware of your surroundings than other people. Another way in which a disability could be an advantage is that people who are disabled tend to be a lot more appreciative of the things they are capable of and are able to see the beauty in things that others may not. For instance, my mother suffers from Multiple Sclerosis which has taken away her ability to walk on her own. Because of this she relies heavily on my family and I to help her with day to day activities, thus strengthening the bond between her and I and creating a very intimate relationship between us.

By: Maureen Bungay