Deaf poet, Bea Webster, performs a poem in British Sign Language about their return to Thailand. Part of Stairs and Whispers: D/deaf and Disabled Poets Write Back (Nine Arches Press, 2017). TRANSCRIPT Long Lost Lover by Bea Webster A yellow dawn breaks on the airport of my childhood Thick air of spices and warmth and tenderness Enters my nose and brings out a wave of nostalgia And here I am, the home of my soul Don Meuang embraced me like a long lost lover Over the Temple of the Dawn the sun rises Where a sea of saffron monks lines up to receive alms Upon the old Venice of the East Its ancient routes take me to my family Bangkok embraced me like a long lost lover Over the Chao Phraya River the sun shines on its muddy waters With its Buddha head buried in the tree From war in times long gone When it was once showered in golden leaves Ayutthaya embraced me like a long lost lover Over the Gulf of Thailand the sea glitters Hermit crabs make their homes in discarded plastics Feasting on watermelons from beach combers Littered with gay streets; tolerated, but no rights Pattaya embraced me like a long lost lover Over the hilly rice plains the rain gives life My mechanical ear picks up clattering, thumping, tapping And shouts of “Twenty bahts! Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!” Merchants lay wares of ancient times. Chiang Mai embraced me like a long lost lover From the Andaman Sea to the golden plains The Land of the Smiles always greets me warmly Even though they see my broken ears and say That I must have done wrong in my past life Thailand embraced me like a long lost lover