Deaf American Poetry: An Anthology

by John Lee Clark (Editor)

“The Deaf poet is no oxymoron,” declares editor John Lee Clark in his introduction to Deaf American An Anthology . The 95 poems by 35 Deaf American poets in this volume more than confirm his point. From James Nack’s early metered narrative poem “The Minstrel Boy” to the free association of Kristi Merriweather’s contemporary “It Was His Movin’ Hands Be Tellin’ Me,” these Deaf poets display mastery of all forms prevalent during the past two centuries. Beyond that, E. Lynn Jacobowitz’s “In Stephen Michael Ryan” exemplifies a form unique to Deaf American poets, the transliteration of verse originally created in American Sign Language.

This anthology showcases for the first time the best works of Deaf poets throughout the nation’s history — John R. Burnet, Laura C. Redden, George M. Teegarden, Agatha Tiegel Hanson, Loy E. Golladay, Robert F. Panara, Mervin D. Garretson, Clayton Valli, Willy Conley, Raymond Luczak, Christopher Jon Heuer, Pamela Wright-Meinhardt, and many others. Each of their poems reflects the sensibilities of their times, and the progression of their work marks the changes that deaf Americans have witnessed through the years. In “The Mute’s Lament,” John Carlin mourns the wonderful things that he cannot hear, and looks forward to heaven where “replete with purest joys/My ears shall be unsealed, and I shall hear.” In sharp contrast, Mary Toles Peet, who benefitted from being taught by Deaf teachers, wrote “Thoughts on Music” with an entirely different attitude. She concludes her account of the purported beauty of music with the realization that “the music of my inward ear/Brings joy far more intense.”

Clark tracks these subtle shifts in awareness through telling, brief biographies of each poet. By doing so, he reveals in Deaf American Poetry how “the work of Deaf poets serves as a prism through which Deaf people can know themselves better and through which the rest of the world can see life in a new light.”

Genres: Poetry, Disability

280 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2009

Reviews

[Madeline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is Deaf AMERICAN poetry... and it's really good from beginning to end.
I could tell you my favorites so far, but that wouldn't be fair to those that take time to understand.
I don't have the words - this book was really great.

[Chad Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. Excellent selection, good format, and the editor's notes provided meaningful context.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just got my hands on this book, so I really should not be rating it yet, but the importance of the book already gives it 4 stars as far as I am concerned. It is, as far as I know, the first anthology of Deaf American poetry ever published. John Lee Clark sets the book up chronological and gives a brief introductiory essay to each poet which includes not only facts about the writer, but the events surrounding that historical period in deaf history and the significance of that particular writers work in creating images of Deaf community. It is an extremely important book, not only for those in the Deaf or Disability Studies community, but for anyone interested in literature or social issues.

[Amy Treadwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology offers a broad mix of poetic styles that are arranged chronologically from the 1800s to present day. I especially enjoyed the poems that were translated from American Sign Language into written English. For me, these poems were a window into a world I want to know more about.

[Cynthia Reeser]

Review here: http://www.prickofthespindle.com/revi...

[Carly]

I don't usually include books that I read for school on Goodreads, but I'm including this one because I genuinely enjoyed it and was eager to read it. A great collection of poems by Deaf writers.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great anthology, loved reading it and feeling more connected to my own community. Enjoyed the variety of styles (formal/traditional, eclectic, free verse, ASL translated).

[Kristen Ringman · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT anthology!