“If the person you’re serving seems very slow,
it could be there deaf, it’s quite common you know.
Though we try very hard we are often get muddled,
Don’t think that we’re daft or our brains are befuddled.
Out shopping, the phone or in everyday life,
Deaf people and numbers – the problem is rife!
One is OK it’s easy to see.
Two can be hard, it can sound like three,
Four and seven, well they are all quite game,
but five and nine can sound quite the same.
Watching lips with six, then eight, nine and ten,
we ask did you say …’…? Or, please write down with a pen.
The teens and tees can lead to disaster,
Especially when it’s money you’re after.
It’s thirteen or thirty? that’s asking a lot ,
One/three and three/zero are better to spot,
With hundreds and thousands and even for years,
Just breaking into numbers – much kinder for ears.
Please spare a thought for those who can’t hear,
They’ll be watching your lips and standing quite near.
Do get our attention before you start speaking,
Don’t shout, hide your mouth or speak when you’re eating.
We do want to hear you, we are trying so hard,
So don’t leave us out ‘cos our hearring is marred.“
