4.1 Please Listen!

◆ What's the difference between 'hear' and 'listen'?
'Hear' refers to the physical ability of our ears to perceive sounds automatically, without much effort. 'Listen', on the other hand, means paying close, conscious attention to what is being said in order to truly understand the speaker's feelings and message.

◆ How old is the speaker in the poem?
The speaker in the poem is likely a teenager or a young adult. This is evident because they feel misunderstood by elders, mention being able to "do for myself," and refer to adults offering cheap advice from newspaper columns.

◆ Who is he/she talking to?
The speaker is talking to a parent, an elder, or a friend who habitually interrupts to give unsolicited advice or solve problems instead of just listening.

◆ What must have happened before the speaker says all this?
Before saying this, the speaker probably tried to share a personal problem or a difficult emotional feeling, but the listener immediately interrupted by offering advice or telling the speaker why they shouldn't feel that way, making the speaker feel frustrated and unheard.

◆ Is the speaker aware of his shortcomings?
Yes, the speaker is completely aware of their shortcomings. They admit that their feelings might be "irrational" and that they are sometimes "discouraged and faltering."

◆ Does he/she want to improve?
Yes, the speaker wants to improve and figure out "what's behind this irrational feeling."

◆ Is he/she confident that he/she can improve?
Yes, the speaker is very confident. They firmly state, "I can do for myself; I am not helpless," and they believe that once they understand their feelings, "the answers are obvious and I don't need advice."

◆ How does he/she want to work it out?
The speaker wants to work it out by having the listener simply accept their feelings as a simple fact. Once their irrational feelings are heard and validated without judgment, the speaker can stop arguing and figure out the root cause on their own.

◆ Is the poet willing to listen to others?
Yes, the poet is willing to listen to others. The poem ends with the promise: "And if you want to talk, wait a minute for your turn and I will listen to you."

◆ Discuss how you can be a good listener.

(a) What does the listener do when the poet asks him to just listen? Give 3 points.

1. The listener starts giving advice.
2. The listener begins to tell the poet why they shouldn't feel that way, trampling on their feelings.
3. The listener feels they have to do something to solve the poet's problem.

(b) Why does the poet remark that advice is cheap?
The poet remarks that advice is cheap because it requires no real emotional effort, and anyone can easily get it by spending just 20 cents on a newspaper to read advice columns like Dear Abby and Billy Graham.

(c) Which two facts show that the poet is confident of overcoming his irrational feeling?

1. The poet clearly states, "And I can do for myself; I am not helpless."
2. The poet believes that once they understand what is behind their irrational feelings, "the answers are obvious and I don't need advice."