My twin sister, born Deaf, took an unusual liking to owls in toddlerhood. Because they appeared to have no ears, she presumed them to be like her. The sign for “owl” is two o’s over the eyes. Wide-eyed at the window, she watched and waited for hours.

awestruck—
her hands
the shape of her mouth

Kelly Sargent

A significantly hearing impaired writer and artist adopted in Luxembourg, Kelly Sargent is the author of two memoirs in verse, Seeing Voices: Poetry in Motion (Kelsay Books, 2022) and Echoes in My Eyes (Kelsay Books, 2024), and a collection of haiku and senryu, Bookmarks (Red Moon Press, 2023). Her short-form poetry appears regularly in haiku and senryu journals online and in print, including two appearances in Rattle. She is a two-time nominee for the Touchstone Award for Individual Poems, and has won or placed in a number of international haiku and senryu competitions. She resides in Vermont, where the picturesque beauty and four distinct seasons often serve as her inspiration.

To learn more, visit the author’s website: https://www.kellysargent.com/