Stroke Recovery: Speech Therapy

Having written two poems about physiotherapy, I set my mind to writing about speech therapy. The exercises, both massage and spoken (and sung!), are truly beneficial.

Speech Therapy

You take it for granted until it's gone:
To ask for what you want.
You know the words but they won't come out,
Try to speak and you can't.

If you're lucky your speech is only slurred
And still your mind is clear.
And now you have to figure out
How to make the words appear.

Along comes the friendly speech therapist
To show you how it's done.
Massage your face to wake it up,
They even make it fun.

Take your time to enunciate clear,
Practice all the word lists,
Sing your scales to improve your pitch,
Listen to your therapist.

They'll help you every step of the way,
To talk and keep in touch.
At last you can make yourself understood.
So thank them very much.