Ten — Summary

The speaker tells us plainly that she has always been half deaf. Her daily life is intimate and unhurried: steaming rice, making tea, dressing before going out to meet people. Because hearing is difficult, she asks them to repeat their names, then helps them as she can. There is no self-pity here; instead, the poem turns on a lovely, surprising wish. Although she cannot play a lute, she hopes her presence gives people the feeling of hearing one lilting among trees. The poem suggests that kindness and attention can create their own quiet music, even without perfect hearing. The mood is gentle, modest, and a little wistful, but also generous. Her half-deaf world becomes not a lack but a particular way of being present — careful, deliberate, and tuned to others. That image of a lute among trees gives the whole poem its delicate, almost musical atmosphere.