Miss-Delectable
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http://poetry.about.com/library/weekly/aa052797.htm
IF I WERE TO THROW MY MONEY
If I were to throw all my money into anything
I'd throw my money into the Deaf community
If I were to throw all my money anywhere
I'd throw it into ASL
Because the future of the species is immune
To all the preaching and the silence
Of these moments is best spoken to
By the quietude of Far by far
Oh in the silence
You hear the heart drum
You hear the ear pull
Air towards hair
But in the gesture
Of the measure
Of the pasture
You are for sure
ASL'll lead you
Past the pasture
To the Gate where
You will hear
So take my money
Take my tongue
Take my breath
And see it fly
Listen to the Deaf Community
Listen to the Poetry
The whirr o' meaning
Coming up for air
Walk together to the riverside
Making small talk sign by sign
The body's speaking now, hush
Listen with ecstatic eyes
In our continuing feature on Deaf Poetry, meet Peter Cook, an outstanding Deaf poet, purveyor of a gestural style that sends dance and theater flying back to their original roots as poetry. Peter is also a poetry activist, and in his work with the deaf & hearing poetry duo, Flying Words Project, has brought American Sign Language (ASL) poetry to hearing audiences around the world. Peter currently lives in Chicago with his partner Candace and their newborn son, where he teaches and acts along with “writing”/performing poetry. I’ve worked on numerous poetry videos with the Cookie Monster (signing is filled with nicknames -- Peter Cookie Monster calls me Blob), including his appearances in Words in Your Face and The United States of Poetry on PBS.
BLOB:
How has the Web affected Deaf Poetry? Deaf in general?
COOKIE MONSTER:
To tell you truth, I have not seen any homepages for Deaf Poetry. I have seen some written works, not performance poetry -- I found them under “ASL Literature” at several college home pages. However, I can tell you that the Internet does change the way we communicate. With it, we are able to reach any info like other people. No discrimination. Because you cannot see Deafness in the Web. Unless the person declares that he or she is Deaf, that’s all. No need to go through a relay operator, no need to wait for an answer. It’s much faster! I get more bookings through the Web than by phone. No phone tag here. Now, people are starting to get video programs so they can sign through the Web. We need to wait few more years for the technology to make it faster so we can see each other in normal motion.
I can see the possiblity of Deaf kids sending their poems from school to professional Deaf poets for feedback through the Internet. We Deaf poets can pass around our works. The Internet should become the “book” for us to pass around. I think that the Internet is the closest thing to a bookstore for a deaf poet to “browse” in. What we really need is a virtual ASL bookstore for us to dig into. Maybe I should think of doing that... hmmmm....
BLOB: Why is there no sign for “poetry”? What is it?
COOKIE MONSTER: That is not true!! Liar!! Murderer!! DEMYSTIFICATE!!! Yes, we do have a sign for poetry! In fact we do have two signs! OK, I gotta get my drink now, <<>slurrrpppp<>>. OK, I’m ready. These two signs have different meanings: one sign for Hearing poetry and one sign for Deaf poetry. The sign for Hearing poetry is a generally traditional sign. The handshape is “P” (at dominant hand) and flat “B” (non-dominant hand). The P moves while the B stays. It is almost the same sign as for music. This sign is strongly associated with rhythms/rhyme.
The other sign was created at the Deaf Way Festival at Gallaudet University in 1989 (I think). Every Deaf poet from around the world came and performed together. I remember a meeting where we were discussing that we needed a sign that shows our poetry. Finally, we decided to use this sign: Handshape “S,” start at the chest then move forward into handshape “5.” This sign is similar to “Expression.” It looks like this: HEART+EXPRESS. So since that festival, we have been spreading that sign. So yes, we have a sign for Deaf poetry!
BOB: Can hearing people who do not know ASL “read” deaf poetry without a translator?
PETER: That would be very difficult unless s/he knows ASL. You have to understand ASL to see how they play with it. Some deaf poets will explain what they will do & then perform it without a translator. Like an opera. It’s up to them to enjoy or not. I prefer to have an interpreter to work with when I have a hearing audience. It's important to reach them and show what ASL poetry is all about.
BLOB: What's it like being a Dad and a Poet?
COOKIE MONSTER: Who’s got time to be a poet? I love being a Dad, and watching Ethan growing. He is my poem. Always changing the lines as he matures... He shows me things I never saw about life. Sometimes I am in a mood where I want to finish something but I've got to stop and spend time with him. He’s very spontaneous and I love the way he makes up. By the way, Ethan is hard of hearing! He had 40 to 50 db hearing loss from jaundice! So we make two generations of Deaf poetry! Yahooooo! Me Cookie Monster and Little Cookie will take over the world! Heheheheh... Ethan signs and picks up vocabulary fast. Like any Dad, I’m proud of him.
Seriously, being a poet isn’t something that you have a badge on your coat. It's inside me and stays there. It’s always brewing. Whenever I see a language (whenever I understand it) coming at me, I love to play with it, take it apart, modify, minify, magnify, chop, sew, paste, paint, pull, then create a language sculpture and let it be stand still or see it in ACTION. If it excites me, then I will put it in my heart and carry it. I will polish it as I carry it.
I feel that being a poet is like collecting slices of life. You see things around you everyday that you could easily forget. But if you see something like a few seconds’ image that tells a lifetime story, you should never forget that one and should brand that image into your works. That’s what a poet should do. Say no more. Wink Wink, Nudge Nudge, say no more....
BLOB: Where are you/Flying Words performing?
COOKIE MONSTER: At this moment, Kenny [Lerner, hearing poet/ASL translator/Peter’s partner in Flying Words -- ed.] and I are creating new material and have not set up any bookings. Kenny has been in contact with several places for next year. For myself, I will be performing at the Illinois Storytelling Festival in Richmond, Illinois the last weekend of July, at DeafFEST in Frankfort, Kentucky on August 2, at the Wisconsin Association for the Deaf in Stevens Point, Wisconsin on June 6, at Florida School for the Deaf in St. Augustine, Florida on June 20 -- plus a residency at the National Theater of the Deaf Summer Professional School. I can tell you more about the fall later!
IF I WERE TO THROW MY MONEY
If I were to throw all my money into anything
I'd throw my money into the Deaf community
If I were to throw all my money anywhere
I'd throw it into ASL
Because the future of the species is immune
To all the preaching and the silence
Of these moments is best spoken to
By the quietude of Far by far
Oh in the silence
You hear the heart drum
You hear the ear pull
Air towards hair
But in the gesture
Of the measure
Of the pasture
You are for sure
ASL'll lead you
Past the pasture
To the Gate where
You will hear
So take my money
Take my tongue
Take my breath
And see it fly
Listen to the Deaf Community
Listen to the Poetry
The whirr o' meaning
Coming up for air
Walk together to the riverside
Making small talk sign by sign
The body's speaking now, hush
Listen with ecstatic eyes
In our continuing feature on Deaf Poetry, meet Peter Cook, an outstanding Deaf poet, purveyor of a gestural style that sends dance and theater flying back to their original roots as poetry. Peter is also a poetry activist, and in his work with the deaf & hearing poetry duo, Flying Words Project, has brought American Sign Language (ASL) poetry to hearing audiences around the world. Peter currently lives in Chicago with his partner Candace and their newborn son, where he teaches and acts along with “writing”/performing poetry. I’ve worked on numerous poetry videos with the Cookie Monster (signing is filled with nicknames -- Peter Cookie Monster calls me Blob), including his appearances in Words in Your Face and The United States of Poetry on PBS.
BLOB:
How has the Web affected Deaf Poetry? Deaf in general?
COOKIE MONSTER:
To tell you truth, I have not seen any homepages for Deaf Poetry. I have seen some written works, not performance poetry -- I found them under “ASL Literature” at several college home pages. However, I can tell you that the Internet does change the way we communicate. With it, we are able to reach any info like other people. No discrimination. Because you cannot see Deafness in the Web. Unless the person declares that he or she is Deaf, that’s all. No need to go through a relay operator, no need to wait for an answer. It’s much faster! I get more bookings through the Web than by phone. No phone tag here. Now, people are starting to get video programs so they can sign through the Web. We need to wait few more years for the technology to make it faster so we can see each other in normal motion.
I can see the possiblity of Deaf kids sending their poems from school to professional Deaf poets for feedback through the Internet. We Deaf poets can pass around our works. The Internet should become the “book” for us to pass around. I think that the Internet is the closest thing to a bookstore for a deaf poet to “browse” in. What we really need is a virtual ASL bookstore for us to dig into. Maybe I should think of doing that... hmmmm....
BLOB: Why is there no sign for “poetry”? What is it?
COOKIE MONSTER: That is not true!! Liar!! Murderer!! DEMYSTIFICATE!!! Yes, we do have a sign for poetry! In fact we do have two signs! OK, I gotta get my drink now, <<>slurrrpppp<>>. OK, I’m ready. These two signs have different meanings: one sign for Hearing poetry and one sign for Deaf poetry. The sign for Hearing poetry is a generally traditional sign. The handshape is “P” (at dominant hand) and flat “B” (non-dominant hand). The P moves while the B stays. It is almost the same sign as for music. This sign is strongly associated with rhythms/rhyme.
The other sign was created at the Deaf Way Festival at Gallaudet University in 1989 (I think). Every Deaf poet from around the world came and performed together. I remember a meeting where we were discussing that we needed a sign that shows our poetry. Finally, we decided to use this sign: Handshape “S,” start at the chest then move forward into handshape “5.” This sign is similar to “Expression.” It looks like this: HEART+EXPRESS. So since that festival, we have been spreading that sign. So yes, we have a sign for Deaf poetry!
BOB: Can hearing people who do not know ASL “read” deaf poetry without a translator?
PETER: That would be very difficult unless s/he knows ASL. You have to understand ASL to see how they play with it. Some deaf poets will explain what they will do & then perform it without a translator. Like an opera. It’s up to them to enjoy or not. I prefer to have an interpreter to work with when I have a hearing audience. It's important to reach them and show what ASL poetry is all about.
BLOB: What's it like being a Dad and a Poet?
COOKIE MONSTER: Who’s got time to be a poet? I love being a Dad, and watching Ethan growing. He is my poem. Always changing the lines as he matures... He shows me things I never saw about life. Sometimes I am in a mood where I want to finish something but I've got to stop and spend time with him. He’s very spontaneous and I love the way he makes up. By the way, Ethan is hard of hearing! He had 40 to 50 db hearing loss from jaundice! So we make two generations of Deaf poetry! Yahooooo! Me Cookie Monster and Little Cookie will take over the world! Heheheheh... Ethan signs and picks up vocabulary fast. Like any Dad, I’m proud of him.
Seriously, being a poet isn’t something that you have a badge on your coat. It's inside me and stays there. It’s always brewing. Whenever I see a language (whenever I understand it) coming at me, I love to play with it, take it apart, modify, minify, magnify, chop, sew, paste, paint, pull, then create a language sculpture and let it be stand still or see it in ACTION. If it excites me, then I will put it in my heart and carry it. I will polish it as I carry it.
I feel that being a poet is like collecting slices of life. You see things around you everyday that you could easily forget. But if you see something like a few seconds’ image that tells a lifetime story, you should never forget that one and should brand that image into your works. That’s what a poet should do. Say no more. Wink Wink, Nudge Nudge, say no more....
BLOB: Where are you/Flying Words performing?
COOKIE MONSTER: At this moment, Kenny [Lerner, hearing poet/ASL translator/Peter’s partner in Flying Words -- ed.] and I are creating new material and have not set up any bookings. Kenny has been in contact with several places for next year. For myself, I will be performing at the Illinois Storytelling Festival in Richmond, Illinois the last weekend of July, at DeafFEST in Frankfort, Kentucky on August 2, at the Wisconsin Association for the Deaf in Stevens Point, Wisconsin on June 6, at Florida School for the Deaf in St. Augustine, Florida on June 20 -- plus a residency at the National Theater of the Deaf Summer Professional School. I can tell you more about the fall later!