Twenty faces
stare at me, gawk at me,
laugh at me, smile at me,
ignore me
one boy openly
grabs his groin
and silently dares me -
to do what?
I don’t know.
Twenty faces
and all deaf,
like me
like me
like me
Some are Chinese,
some are Italian,
most are Puerto Rican
and Columbian.
Two brown girls
sign -
“Who’s the bitch?”
“How am I supposed to know?”
I’ve been here before.
My spine tingles,
and I forget about home.
I breathe in
their abrasive glares,
feed off their
beautifully loud silence,
and begin.
“My name is Lane,
and I want to introduce you
to a man named e.e. cummings...”
Author notes
...and this is what I will be doing for the next four weeks. Inner city poetry workshop for deaf teens.
In a list
Comments
1 - 27 of 27
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que bueno~!!
oh woW! such a stunning write & so very personal and straightforward.
I love e.e.cummings as well, I'd have to say he's my favorite poet.
as far as signing, I only know a few things
I can say "i hate this class" and pancakes and spaghetti 
haha and sign the alphabet
a powerful write
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Awesome
Wow Lane just Wow.
Joe
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I have read several of your poems now and I adore them all. This one really made me smile, though. Your writing is simple, nothing insanely complex....yet it is vivid. I can see you there. What an amazing author you have to be in order to paint things so simply but to make me feel as if I were there. I am amazed. Hats off to you!
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oh you're so brave! If there's anything I'll never be able to do, it's to teach! Wow! I'm always impressed with your way of observing people, and your irony always make me laugh. The most interesting thing in this piece, is to see how you observe the world, and how your observations are different than mine. We're all different.
Good job on this! -
How wonderful for you and what a challenge. You are an angel from heaven to do this. I would love to help you with this. One problem; the only sign I know is the middle finger.
Love,
Amera
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I just want to hug you
and you need not have to hear
what it is i want to tell you
you will know
by the thumps in my chest
every word
every word
I speak- from my heart
Mal
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Change comes when we invest talent resources in our problems, so this is an wonderful instance; perhaps one of these children will write or read or teach or be an example...so many ways to feed a miracle... wonderful poetry an even better act of giving...PK
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What a wonderful place to take your talent to Lane!!! You will make such a huge difference for these kids.
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ah. a shiny new apple in the eye of the poet teacher.
-a smiling fish.
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sorry to be so late with a comment here Lane.
I really admire what you're doing and keeping us up to date with what's happenening there in a way makes us all part of it.
I taught art to kids at Gabrini Green Housing projects in Chicago many years ago. It was hard to work into that situation and my teens were not deaf, just
bone poor and sharp chip shouldered.
Bravo, Mermaid!
love
David
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I envy them the experience of poetry, of time with Lane. I think this is fabulous, and not just for what you are doing but the poem itself is amazing on the surface and beyond.
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Wow! Deaf people are so.... so.... so normal! Who knew? Ha ha ha. Finally, you are doing something worthy of your talents. There is no better feeling then helping someone locked within themselves to reach out and touch divinity. You are in a powerful place for doing just that. I love how they are callous to you and think you are an idiot for just being there. Ha ha ha. Your patience will be tested beyond measure. Good luck.
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The challenge is to teach rhyme and flow
to those who have no way to to know
words can imitate each other and sound the same-
does rhythm and rhyme in ASL have a name?
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You are deaf?!?!
But your poetry is so full of sound!
All I want to do is to show children how wonderful poetry is, and you are doing that, I hope you show them your poems too. They are beautiful.
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All the best to you in your ventures Lane, I know you will meet the challenge head on, you go get 'em girl!
Love
Sue
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Vibrant
Fun. What a unique experience. Let us know how it goes. -
Hi Lane,
Some people would introduce you by saying, “This is lane, she is deaf”
But not me, I’d say, “This is lane she is drop dead gorgeous, has a wonderful exciting mind, a great sense of humour and is very,very sexy”.
I know all these things because I see and feel them every time you post your poetry.
I like this poem because I can feel your sense of excitement and trepidation at starting a new project.
I really enjoy this sensation; it’s the only way to live.
Go for it Lane,
Love, Peter
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Fantastic!
I cannot think there is a better teacher available on the planet.
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I think it is wonderful that you are doing this....
beautiful poem, Lane..I totally felt this one...
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Thank you for the bulletin about your cummings and goings.
Enjoy it!
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Oh dear God Lane...I am so jealous! This sounds awesome! I know you will leave a positive and beautiful impression on them, as you have done with me and countless others here on AP my dear. Wow, this has the makings of a book or movie, best of luck dear and be careful. *sigh*
Love and peace always
mj.
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you amaze me -
They will all love you as we do Lane, for there beats a heart of a strong and abiding woman who just won't let failure become one of her vocabulary. Love, C
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And they could not have dreamed of having a better instructor.But when you say they are deaf 'like' you...realize that your soul hears far better than even most of us who are alledged to 'hear'.
I wish you knew how that each day, every day at work I, and most others, have to contend with 'hearing' people who hear what they wish to hear, and not what is said.
Ask anyone you know on AP, they will tell you basically the same thing, which is that just because someone technically is capable of hearing, certainly does not mean they do 'hear'.
Laney, just your prose alone proves my point, in that "you" have been teaching "us" here at AP how to hear all this time.
anyone out there care to contest this point with me???
Hmmnnnnn???
Len
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Oh Wow That...is SO cool!
The best line in here is: "..I breathe in
their abrasive glares,
feed off their
beautifully loud silence,.."
at least they speak in your language.
There's something so very heart warming about this...I guess it's that for a great many of us here, Lane, these people are going to grow to love you as we have.
Paul
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You are beautiful.
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Lady Lane
all the more reason I adore you. Been trying with out much success to find a good ASL program. We have the VSDB, Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind, here in the valley. Many of my customers are deaf and/or blind. I have asked the chaperones of the teen and younger groups where and how long it takes to become familiar, if not fluent. Never get a good response.
Good luck on your new endeavor. Is this in Savanah or NY?
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