~Gil Eastman
A poem by DeafBlind poet John Lee Clark and a poem-video by Raymond Luczak today.
Braille (a poem)
by John Lee Clark
The world rests on my lap.
If my finger is the sky,
Then under it the fields prosper.
Row after perfect row of buds
Bid me gather all I can.
The harvest is food for thought.
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The Poetry Friday round-up is hosted at The Logonauts.
10 comments:
Loved that "perfect row of buds".
There was a girl who was blind in my high school classes. She carried huge textbooks written in Braille. I was fascinated by the idea that all those dots said the same thing I was reading.
I am sharing your Swap today, Tabatha!
A long time ago, a neighbor's child became deaf from meningitis. All of us learned some sign so we could give support, but I have lost that facility now. The poem speaks to us who hear with fervor, doesn't it? "You are nothing but paper and ink." Thanks, Tabatha.
Wow. Speechless. (And I mean that in both a literal and punny kind of way.) Really enjoyed the video in particular, such a powerful metaphor. Thanks for sharing these!
Wow. Lovely and convicting. Thanks for posting these.
If my finger is the sky...
I love the finger ballet of sign language, Tabatha, and mean to learn it some day. Thanks for sharing the video, too - powerful.
Sign language fascinates me. One of the services at my church has someone signing and I love watching those people at work. Each of the people who does it has their own particular style. I had never thought of poetry done in sign, though. It takes my breath away…
So much said with so few words here this week, Tabatha - many thanks for sharing. The Luczak poem-video has a kind of biblical echo in its syntax to my mind - Psalms maybe.
These are so powerful. Inviting us into a new world and yet reminding us that we are the foreigners.
I have a deaf friend, and while she is quite willing to communicate with me writing and her speaking (she lost her hearing as a girl and so can speak quite clearly), but I knew I needed to "purge my passport of sound" in order to meet her partway. She doesn't sign, but I am learning to be a competent finger speller.
Powerful poems, both of them. And important to hear these voices.
I love this poem, Tabatha. Thanks so much for sharing!
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