ds_0027_valli_cap_01.mp4

ds_0027_valli_cap_01.mp4

Performance and analysis

Valli, Clayton

American Sign Language literature

Deaf, Writings of the, American

American Sign Language

Deaf Poetry

American poetry 20th century

ASL poetry

Clayton Valli (NTID alumnus) and famed ASL poet created original ASL poetry works. He wrote a groundbreaking dissertation on the linguistic and literary features of ASL poetry in 1993. Valli performs seven poems twice, once before discussion of the poems with the audience, and once after the discussion. The poems are not voiced, but the discussions are. The poems are: Dandelion, Lone Sturdy Tree, Windy Bright Morning, Snowflake, Pawns, I'm Sorry, and The Cave. He describes the inspiration for his poems, and the process of creating ASL poems. Poetical and linguistic features are described such as facial expressions, hand shapes, ASL rhymes, sign inventions (neologism), metaphors, and the poem structure. His poems focus on the Deaf experience such as oppression, oralism, the freedom of ASL expression, the loneliness and hardships of the mainstreamed individual, and other related topics. Valli discusses different genres in ASL creative arts and ASL poetry expression. ASL creative arts make use of handshape repetitions, changes to reflect the deaf experience in stories (such as flashing lights), songs (audience participation, clapping, hand and palm orientation), poetry (repeated handshapes, repeated path movements and facial expression), and humor. The characteristics of ASL poetry such as rhyming and repetition patterns, classifers, transformations, marked signs, eye behavior, and the signer's location all influence the delivery of the poem. Literary features include personification, figurative language, metaphors, symbols, irony, and frames. He shares his experiences teaching art signs to Deaf children who are enthusiastic learners. Bilingual Deaf education, the importance of early ASL exposure for Deaf children, and encouraging more interactions between younger and older Deaf students will help develop stronger identities and ASL language skills.

National Technical Institute for the Deaf

Rochester Institute of Technology - RIT Libraries - RIT Archive Collections

Miriam and Kenneth Lerner ASL Poetry Collection

ASL Literature Conference (1991 National Technical Institute for the Deaf)

1991

2018

moving image

mp4

VHS

62 minutes

American Sign Language

English

RITDSA.0027

Sculptures in the Air: An Accessible Online Video Repository of the American Sign Language (ASL) Poetry and Literature Collections

Miriam and Kenneth Lerner ASL Poetry Collection

2018-2019 CLIR Grant-ASL Poetry and Literature

https://albert.rit.…

https://archivesspa…

New York - Rochester

Henrietta Campus

RIT Libraries makes materials from its collections available for educational and research purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. It is your responsibility to obtain permission from the copyright holder to publish or reproduce images in print or electronic form.

CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4.0 International

SEAT 7K737...FULL ESCORT.

[PEOPLE CLAPPING]

>> YOU!

>> YEAH!

OK. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS MATTHEW MOORE,
AND I'M THE PUBLISHER OF

"DEAF LIFE" MAGAZINE
AND DIRECTOR

OF FLYING WORDS PROJECT.

I WANT TO MAKE ONE
ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT.

TONIGHT'S PERFORMANCE,
THERE'LL BE AN OPEN MIC.

THERE'S NO HEADSETS FOR
TONIGHT'S PERFORMANCE,

BUT FOR ALL THE PERFORMANCES
TO COME, WE'LL BE USING

HEADSETS, OK?

SO FOR PEOPLE HERE WHO ARE NEW
TO OUR COMMUNITY, HAVE JUST

JOINED THIS COMMUNITY,
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU,

AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE
A SUGGESTION TO YOU, THAT

YOU DON'T CLAP FOR THE DEAF
PERFORMERS WHEN THEY'RE DONE.

IF YOU WANT TO SHOW
APPRECIATION FOR THEIR WORK,

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS IN
THE AIR AND SHAKE THEM HIGH

SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE THEM.

NOW I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE
A VERY IMPORTANT

PERSON--CLAYTON VALLI.

HE'S A FULL-TIME PROFESSOR
AT GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY.

HE WORKS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
LINGUISTICS AND INTERPRETING,

AND HE'S STUDYING FOR
HIS Ph.D. NOW AND DOING

A CORRESPONDENCE COURSE WITH
THE UNIVERSITY OF OHIO, SO I'D

LIKE YOU TO ALL PLEASE HELP ME
GIVE HIM A VERY WARM WELCOME.

HANDS IN THE AIR.

[PERSON CLAPPING]

HARD TO SEE YOU.

MAY WE HAVE THE LIGHTS
UP A LITTLE BIT?

MUCH BETTER. THANK YOU.

NOW I CAN SEE ALL YOUR FACES.

THE REASON I NEED TO SEE
YOUR FACES IS, WHILE I'M

PERFORMING, I'D LIKE TO HAVE
LITTLE DISCUSSION IN BETWEEN

AND AFTERWARDS, SO I DON'T
LIKE TO JUST PERFORM AND THEN

LEAVE YOU OUT IN THE COLD.

I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOME
DIALOGUE, SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE

YOUR FACES.

I'M REALLY THRILLED TO
BE HERE TONIGHT.

I REMEMBER, 1987 IN WHEN I WAS
HERE, THERE WAS A DEAF--THE

NATIONAL DEAF POETRY CONTEST
HELD HERE IN 1987, AND THERE

WERE 5 OF US--PATRICK
GRAYBILL, ELLA LENTZ, MYSELF,

PETER COOK, AND DEBBIE RENNIE.

5 PERFORMERS CAME TO OUR
DEAF POETRY CONFERENCE.

WE DID OUR PERFORMANCES,
AND IT HAD A REALLY POWERFUL

IMPACT ON ALL OF US.

WE SHARED A LOT OF IDEAS,
BUT THEN THAT IMPACT WAS GONE.

WE HAD NO FURTHER
CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER.

WE HOPED TO HAVE ANNUAL
OR BI-ANNUAL CONFERENCE,

AND YET THIS IS THE FIRST
TIME WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER

AGAIN AS POETS.

NOW, THIS IS CALLED A DEAF
LITERATURE CONFERENCE,

WHICH IS REALLY GREAT BECAUSE
IT'S MORE BROAD AND INCLUDES

POETRY AND COMEDY DIFFERENT
KINDS OF LITERATURE, AND I

HOPE THAT THIS CONTINUES
ANNUALLY FROM NOW ON.

BEFORE I BEGIN WITH MY
PERFORMANCE, I'D LIKE TO TELL

YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING

THIS EVENING.

I WILL PRESENT, AND THERE WILL
BE AN INTERPRETER VOICING MY

PRESENTATION AS A KIND OF
DISCUSSION, BUT WHEN I DO MY

ACTUAL PERFORMANCES, THERE
WILL BE NO INTERPRETATION.

I PREFER THAT YOU WHO ARE
HEARING AND DON'T KNOW SIGN

LANGUAGE TO WATCH, ALTHOUGH
YOU MAY BE A BIT OVERWHELMED.

I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT, BUT WHAT
I'M DOING IS A KIND OF ART.

IT IS ART, AND ASL POETRY IS
A VERY EXPRESSIVE ART, A VERY

VISUAL FORM OF ART THAT I
WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO

APPRECIATE VISUALLY.

NOW, WHEN I PERFORM AND THE
INTERPRETER DOES NOT VOICE,

THAT WILL BE JUST
THE PERFORMANCE PART,

BUT AFTERWARDS AND IN BETWEEN
MY POETRY, I'LL BE TALKING

ABOUT WHAT I'M DOING AND
THEN PERFORM THE PIECE AGAIN

SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WATCH.

NOW, FIRST WHEN I PERFORM
THE PIECE, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO

WATCH AND GET SOME KIND OF
IDEA BUT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO

REMEMBER ALL THE
DIFFERENT PIECES OF IT.

AFTER I EXPLAIN IT NOW,
YOU CAN GO BACK AND SEE

IT AGAIN AND UNDERSTAND
IT BETTER.

I'LL BE PERFORMING 7 DIFFERENT
POEMS FOR YOU THIS EVENING.

THE FIRST POEM IS ENTITLED,
"DANDELION," YOU KNOW,

THE YELLOW FLOWER THAT GROWS
AND WHEN YOU BLOW ON IT,

THOSE LITTLE SPORES
SCATTER ALL AROUND.

I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT HOW I CREATED

THE POEM "DANDELION."

ONE TIME, I WAS MOWING THE
GRASS IN NEVADA, AND THOSE

DANDELIONS WERE ALL OVER,
AND I HAD TO PULL THEM OUT,

YOU KNOW, THOSE WEEDS YOU JUST
HAD TO GET OUT OF YOUR GREEN

GRASS, AND I KEPT SIGNING
THE SIGN, "THIS IS SICK.

THIS THING IS MAKING ME
CRAZY," AND I THOUGHT,

"THIS IS THE SAME WAY AS I AM.

THIS DANDELION AND MYSELF
HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON HERE,"

AND THE POEM
EMERGED FROM THERE.

[PEOPLE CLAPPING]

I'D LIKE TO JUST EXPLAIN A
LITTLE BIT NOW ABOUT THIS POEM

AND WHAT IT MEANT.

THE YELLOW FLOWER,
THE DANDELIONS, WERE

MULTITUDES UPON THIS GREEN,
GRASSY AREA, AND A MAN COMES

AND SEES THE WEEDS AND IS
OUTRAGED THAT THEY'RE THERE

AND BEGINS TO PULL THEM OUT
AND TRY TO DESTROY THEM,

MOW THEM ALL DOWN.

THE RAIN COMES.

THE SUN EMERGES.

THE GRASSES GROW, AND ONE
DANDELION APPEARS AND SPREADS

ITS SEEDS, AND A BEE COMES AND
TAKES THE SEED AND THEN PLANTS

IT, AND DAYS GO BY, AND THE
DANDELION SPROUTS ITS SPORES,

SO THIS IS THE MEANING THAT
YOU SEE WHEN I PRESENT

THE POEM, BUT THE SEEDS THAT
GROW FROM THE DANDELION ARE

OBTAINED FROM THE FLOWER AND
ARE CARRIED AWAY AND SPREAD.

A MAN ARRIVES AND SEES THESE
SPREAD SEEDS AND SAYS,

"HEY THERE."

HE YELLS.

HE YELLS, "THERE," MEANING,
"THERE. THERE'S THE ONE,"

AND HE'S ANGRY.

NOW THE SPORES HAVE SPREAD,
AND HE PULLS IT OUT, BUT THOSE

SEEDS AGAIN HAVE PLANTED
THEMSELVES AROUND THE GRASS.

NOW, YOU MAY NOTICE THAT THERE
IS SOMETHING LIKE RHYME AS I

PERFORM THIS POEM.

NOW, DID YOU NOTICE ANYTHING
LIKE A RHYME AS YOU SAW ME

PERFORM, PERFORMING?

MY BODY SHIFTS BACK AND FORTH.

MY HANDS SHIFT
BACK AND FORTH.

MY HANDS THEMSELVES,
WHAT ABOUT THEM?

YES. I USE MY HANDS AND
MOVEMENT IN AND OUT, AND I

OFTEN USE HAND SHAPES
INVOLVING THE OPEN,

5-FINGERED HAND.

WHEN I SAY, "OH, FLOWER SPREAD
OUT ACROSS THE GRASS," I USE

THIS HAND SHAPE, AND WHEN
THEY'RE WAVING, THEY'RE ALSO

THE SAME "5" HAND SHAPE,
AND "LAND" INCORPORATES THAT

SAME SHAPE.

I USE "5" HAND SHAPE
THROUGHOUT THE POEM AGAIN

AND AGAIN, WHICH IS
A KIND OF A RHYME,

AND ALSO WHEN I USE THE
CLASSIFIER TO SIGNIFY

DANDELION, YOU'LL SEE THAT
AGAIN I'M DOING THE OPEN

HAND SHAPE.

THAT'S ONE KIND OF RHYME.

ALSO YOU SEE THIS HAND SHAPE,
THE CLENCHED FIST.

WHAT DOES THAT SIGNIFY?

YES, IT'S A CLOSED HAND,
BUT WHAT KIND OF FEELING IS

THERE, IN OPPOSITION TO
THE OPEN FEELING OF "5"

HAND SHAPE?

A CLENCHED FIST, YES,
IT SIGNIFIES KIND OF ANGER,

WHEREAS OPEN HAND IS FREE AND
LIBERATED, SO THERE'S THIS

JUXTAPOSITION OF THE CLOSED
AND THE OPEN, SO YOU CAN SEE

THAT THERE IS A KIND OF A
MEANING BEHIND THE LITERAL

MEANING OF THE POEM AS YOU
WATCH IT, SO YOU MAY WONDER

WHAT THIS MEANING IS.

HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE
IT OUT FOR YOURSELVES AS I

WAS SPEAKING?

YES. IT'S A METAPHOR--YOU'RE
RIGHT--MEANING THAT MY POEM

HAS A LITERAL MEANING THAT
YOU CAN SEE BUT ALSO

A METAPHORICAL MEANING.

IT'S NOT JUST A PRETTY
PICTURE IN THE AIR.

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

IT'S A METAPHOR FOR
FRUSTRATION, ANGER FROM MY

EXPERIENCES GROWING UP IN DEAF
SCHOOL, FOR HAVING MY LANGUAGE

TAKEN AWAY FROM ME AND BEING
FORCED TO USE THE ORAL'S.

OF COURSE. YOU'RE RIGHT.

[LAUGHTER]

THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S HIS--THIS GENTLEMAN'S
INTERPRETATION, HAVING MY

SIGNS TAKEN AWAY FROM ME,
BEING FORBIDDEN TO SIGN,

BEING FORCED TO USE ORAL
METHOD OF COMMUNICATION.

YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT'S A
METAPHOR FOR THAT THE WORLD IS

IMPERFECT AND THAT YOU
SHOW THAT THE WORLD IS NOT

ALWAYS PERFECT.

RIGHT. YOU'RE SAYING THAT
SEEDS--SEEDS AS A SYMBOL

FOR THAT SEEDS WILL ALWAYS
CONTINUE TO LIVE AND THOSE

CONTINUE TO PROPAGATE,
NO MATTER WHAT, AND THAT YOU

CANNOT KEEP THESE
HANDS CLUTCHED.

THEY WILL OPEN, EVEN IF YOU
DON'T PLAN IT, EVEN IF YOU

DON'T INTEND TO.

EVEN IF YOU TRY TO RID THE
WORLD OF THEM, THEY STILL WILL

CONTINUE TO SPROUT.

EXACTLY. THAT'S RIGHT.

SO THE SIGN "CONTINUE" IS
AN APPROPRIATE ONE TO USE

IN THE INSTANCE.

THIS PERSON'S OPINION, IT USED
TO BE THAT DEAF PEOPLE WERE

ALLOWED TO USE THEIR SIGN
LANGUAGE, AND THEN

THE INVENTION OF ORAL-BASED,
ORAL METHODS OF COMMUNICATION

AND EDUCATION, APPEARED AND
REALLY DIMINISHED THE ABILITY

FOR DEAF PEOPLE TO USE THEIR
HANDS TO COMMUNICATE, BUT NOW

IT'S BEGINNING TO SPREAD AGAIN
THAT PEOPLE ARE FREE TO USE

SIGN LANGUAGE TO COMMUNICATE.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT IS A METAPHOR.

IT IS EXAMPLES OF HOW THIS
POEM IS A METAPHOR FOR REALLY

DEEPER FEELINGS, OK, SO THE
POEM HAS DEEPER MEANING THAN

WHAT YOU MERELY SEE
WHEN YOU FIRST WATCH.

NOW, REMEMBER, OPENED AT
HOME AND MOWING, OR TELLING YOU

ABOUT HOW I WAS MOWING THE
GRASS AND HOW I REALIZED THAT

THIS DANDELION AND I HAVE
SOMETHING IN COMMON.

I WAS BEFORE PUNISHED FOR
SIGNING, AND I USED THE SIGN

TO EXPRESS MY FRUSTRATION AT
BEING OPPRESSED IN THIS WAY,

AND THEN, AGAIN, I WAS USING
THAT SIGN TO TALK ABOUT HOW I

WAS CAPTURING THE DANDELION.

NOW, BACK IN 1980
AT THE--1880, THE MILAN

CONFERENCE, THERE WAS A MILAN
CONFERENCE THAT OCCURRED,

AND IT'S A MILESTONE IN THE
HISTORY OF DEAF PEOPLE,

FOR AT THAT CONFERENCE,
SIGN LANGUAGE WAS FORBIDDEN

ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

DEAF TEACHERS WERE FIRED.

SIGN LANGUAGE WAS SHUNTED
OFF FROM PROGRAMS

FOR THE DEAF, BUT NOW,
AGAIN, SIGN LANGUAGE IS

CONTINUING--IS STARTING
TO BE ON THE RISE AGAIN.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS
IN THE FUTURE.

YOU THINK IT
WOULD TAKE OFF NOW.

WELL, I AGREE. I REALLY AGREE.

OK. I'M GOING TO REPEAT
THE POEM NOW SO YOU'LL HAVE

ANOTHER CHANCE.

[PEOPLE CLAPPING]

I FORGOT TO ADD ONE THING.

YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT IN
THIS POEM, MANY THINGS OCCUR

IN 3s, MOVEMENTS OF
3s--PULLING OUT THE SEEDS

IN A MOVEMENT OF 3, GROWING
IN A MOVEMENT OF 3, GRASS

IN A MOVEMENT OF 3.

I TEND TO USE THE MOVEMENT
OF 3 OVER AND OVER AGAIN AS

A RHYME, AND I DELIBERATELY
MANIPULATE THE POEM IN THIS

WAY TO CREATE RHYME.

IT WASN'T JUST AN ARBITRARY
EXPRESSION OF MY FEELINGS,

BUT A VERY DELIBERATE PLANNING
OF HOW I WAS TO DO THIS AS

AN ART FORM.

THE NEXT POEM IS ENTITLED "THE
LONE STURDY TREE," AND I'M

SIGNING IT THIS WAY, YOU KNOW,
A TREE THAT'S LIVED FOR A LONG

TIME AND IS OLD AND WEATHERED.

BACK IN 1978, THAT WAS ABOUT
WHEN MAINSTREAMING STARTED.

AM I RIGHT, EARLY
SEVENTIES, '73?

I DON'T KNOW. NOW,
WHAT IS THAT DATE?

YOU'RE SAYING 1973?

OK. WELL, IN THE EARLY
SEVENTIES, MAINSTREAMING BEGAN

TO BECOME A WIDESPREAD METHOD
OF EDUCATION, AND I WAS

WORKING IN A MAINSTREAM SCHOOL
FOR DEAF CHILDREN, AND I SAW

THE KINDS OF FRUSTRATIONS
THAT THEY WENT THROUGH, AND I

BECAME VERY FRUSTRATED.

I HAD MANY CLASHES
WITH THE TEACHERS.

NOW, I WAS AT THAT TIME
COMMUTING FROM RENO TO

CARSON CITY.

I LIVED IN RENO, AND I WENT
TO THE SCHOOL TO WORK

IN CARSON CITY.

IT WAS ABOUT A 50-MILE-DRIVE
COMMUTE EACH WAY, AND EVERY

DAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING,
I SAW THIS TREE, AND IT REALLY

INSPIRED ME, AND OUT
OF IT CAME THIS POEM.

[PEOPLE CLAPPING]

LET ME SEE.
HOW WOULD I DESCRIBE THIS?

EVERY MORNING, YOU SEE,
I'M DRIVING, AND THE DESERT IS

VERY FLAT AND THEN LATER
BECOMES MORE MOUNTAINOUS,

WELL, ACTUALLY HILLY, AND THE
MOUNTAINS ARE VERY CRAGGY

WITH STONES AND ROCKS, AND
ON TOP OF ONE OF THESE HILLY,

DRY MOUNTAINS IS THE
SILHOUETTE OF AN OLD,

WEATHERED, CRAGGY TREE
BENT FROM THE WIND.

THE SUN BEATS DOWN ON IT,
AND THERE'S NO PLACE TO HIDE.

THERE'S ONLY THIS ONE
LONE TREE SURVIVING.

NOW, THE WIND ALWAYS BLOWS
IN THIS ONE DIRECTION,

AND, HENCE, THE TREE IS GOING
OVER IN THAT WAY, AND YET IT

CONTINUES TO STAND, AND THE
WIND BRUSHES IT OFF AGAINST

ITS TRUNK.

THROUGH STORMS, THROUGH
FREEZING COLD, THROUGH SLEET,

THAT TREE REMAINS.

EVEN THROUGH DROUGHT WHEN IT'S
DRY, THE TREE STILL LIVED,

AND AS I WATCHED THAT TREE DAY
AFTER DAY AFTER DAY, I THOUGHT

ABOUT MY OWN FRUSTRATIONS.

I FELT I WAS A KINDRED
SPIRIT TO THIS TREE.

I'LL REPEAT THE POEM NOW.

[PEOPLE CLAPPING]

THANK YOU.

THE NEXT POEM IS ENTITLED
"WINDY BRIGHT MORNING."

"WINDY BRIGHT MORNING"
WAS WRITTEN HERE, OK,

SO HERE AT NTID.

AT THAT TIME, I WAS A STUDENT
HERE BACK IN 1971, MY FIRST

YEAR HERE AT NTID,
AND ACTUALLY, I CONTINUED HERE

AS A STUDENT IN 1972,
AND THIS POEM CAME ABOUT

BECAUSE AT THE TIME, I WAS
LIVING IN DORM ONE ON THE RIT

SIDE, AND I WAS IN BED,
AND THE SHADE WAS BLOWING BACK

AND FORTH IN THE WIND,
AND I FELT IT WAS A VERY ODD

KIND OF A MORNING.

I DIDN'T LIKE THE SENSATION,
BUT OUTSIDE, IT WAS

A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

I NEVER FORGOT THAT AND
HOW I WAS AWAKENED.

THEN AT ONE POINT LATER,
IT HAPPENED THAT I GOT

A TERRIBLE TOOTHACHE, AND
I THOUGHT I BETTER LET THE

DENTIST KNOW AND HAVE IT FIXED
OR PULLED OUT OF SOMETHING,

IT WAS SO PAINFUL, SO I CALLED
THE DENTIST AND TOLD HIM,

AND HE TOLD ME, "WELL,
I'M SORRY, BUT I HAVE A VERY

"FULL SCHEDULE.

YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT
TILL TOMORROW."

I TOLD HIM, "I'M SORRY.
I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW.

I HAVE AN EXTREME AMOUNT
OF PAIN," BUT I TOLD HIM,

"ALL RIGHT.

I'LL DO THE BEST I CAN,"
AND THEN WENT TO BED TO TRY

AND SLEEP, BUT THE PAIN WAS
THROBBING, AND I COULDN'T FALL

ASLEEP, SO I GOT UP AND
STARTED TO PACE THE ROOM,

AND MY PAIN DIMINISHED.

SO I STARTED TO SIGN AND
REALIZED THAT WAS REALLY GOING

TO HELP ME GET THROUGH THE
NIGHT, AND OUT OF THAT PAIN

CAME THIS POEM.

THIS IS A NEW POEM THAT
I STARTED REALLY TO

PERFORM IN 1981,
EVEN THOUGH I FIRST CONCEIVED

OF IT IN '72.

[LAUGHTER]

[PEOPLE CLAPPING]

SO YOU SEE, THAT POEM WAS
WRITTEN IN A KIND OF STYLE

THAT MAY SEEM AWKWARD COMPARED
TO THE WAY THAT I DO POETRY

THESE DAYS, BUT I
KEPT THIS STYLE.

IT'S REMINISCENT OF MY
DAYS AS A STUDENT HERE.

I ACTUALLY DID VIDEOTAPE IT AT
THAT TIME, AND I WATCHED THE

VIDEOTAPE AND TRIED TO KEEP
THE SAME STYLE IN WHICH IT WAS

CONCEIVED AND PERFORM IT THAT
WAY TODAY TO KEEP THE STYLES

THAT WE DO ALIVE, AND YOU'LL
SEE THAT MY POETRY STYLE HAS

EVOLVED SINCE THEN
IN LATER POEMS.

"WINDY BRIGHT MORNING" IS
ABOUT THIS WINDOW WHERE

THE SHADE IS PULLED DOWN AND
THE WIND IS BLOWING THROUGH,

LETTING IN THROUGH THE CRACKS
THE LIGHT OF THE MORNING,

AND AS I'M SLEEPING,
THAT LIGHT GETS THROUGH MY

EYELIDS AS IF THE WIND AND
THE SUN KNOW THAT I'M DEAF

AND THAT I NEED A FLASH OF
LIGHT IN ORDER TO WAKE UP.

I JUST ADDED THAT, LETTING YOU
KNOW THAT I FELT AS IF THE SUN

AND THE WIND KNEW I WAS DEAF.

SO I GET UP TO
CLOSE THE WINDOW.

YOU KNOW HOW RIT BUILDINGS
ARE CONSTRUCTED, RIGHT?

YOU HAVE TO CLOSE THE WINDOW,
AS IT SWINGS OUT,

PULL IT SHUT.

THAT'S THE WAY ALL OF
THOSE BUILDINGS ARE BUILT,

SO I PULLED IT SHUT AND WENT
BACK TO BED TO TRY

TO SLEEP AGAIN,
BUT MY BODY WAS VERY WARM.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, I FELT THE
WINDOW OPEN AGAIN, AND AGAIN

THE SUN WAS
FLASHING INTO MY BED.

THE WIND HAD OPENED
THE WINDOW, AND THE SUN

AND THE COLD AIR
WAS RUSHING IN IT,

AND I WAS STARTLED, TAKEN
ABACK, AND I GOT UP, AND NOW

WITH THE SHADE OPEN, I FELT,
"HEY, THIS IS SOMETHING I WANT

TO BE AWAKE TO SEE," AND
YOU KNOW HERE IN ROCHESTER,

EVERY DAY THERE TENDS TO BE
CLOUDS, AND, HEY, ROCHESTER IS

FAMOUS, INFAMOUS, FOR ITS
CLOUDY WEATHER, AND IT USED

TO BE LIKE,
"COME ON, SUN," BUT ALL

OF A SUDDEN, THERE WAS THIS ONE
MORNING WHEN THE SUN SHONE

BRIGHTLY, COLD AND CLEAR,
AND I'LL NEVER FORGET IT.

HE'S ASKING ME HERE,
"DOES THIS POEM HAVE

"A HIDDEN MEANING?

IS IT A METAPHOR
FOR SOMETHING?"

AND, NO, I THINK THIS MEANS--

THIS POEM IS REALLY MORE FOR
THE ENJOYMENT, THE BEAUTY

IN THE MOMENT, AND THE
FEELING, THE EXPRESSION OF MY

EXPERIENCE AT THAT TIME.

THE NEXT POEM IS
ENTITLED "SNOWFLAKE."

HOW CAN I TALK ABOUT THIS?

UM, LET ME SEE.

A SNOWFLAKE IS A CONCEPT THAT
AT ONE POINT I TOOK A REAL

LIKING TO, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW
HOW TO ARRANGE IT IN A POEM,

SO I HELD ON TO THE IDEA FOR
ALMOST 3 YEARS, MULLING IT

OVER IN THE BACK OF MY MIND,
AND THEN ONE DAY, I MET

A DEAF CHILD...

AND I REALIZED NOW THAT THE
SNOWFLAKE HAD FOUND ITS HOME

IN A POETRY ABOUT THE CHILD.

THIS IS ABOUT THE CHILD WITH
HIS FATHER, WHO WAS VERY PROUD

OF THE WAY THE
CHILD COULD SPEAK.

IT'S STRANGE.

WHEN I MADE THIS MATCH BETWEEN
THE SNOWFLAKE AND THE STORY

OF THE CHILD, I REALLY
DIDN'T KNOW WHY I PUT IT

TOGETHER THAT WAY.

I WROTE MY POEM, CONCEIVED OF
IT, AND THEN REALIZED THAT THE

HIDDEN MEANING WAS MORE THAN
I HAD BEEN AWARE OF WHEN I

CREATED IT.

AFTER I PERFORM IT, I
WILL TALK ABOUT THAT

WITH YOU, OK?



HAVE ANY OF YOU DISCOVERED
THE METAPHOR IN THIS POEM?

YOU DON'T SEE ANY?

OH, GOODNESS.

HE SAID HE SAW NO
HIDDEN MEANING, BUT THERE

REALLY IS HERE.

YOU'RE SAYING IT'S ABOUT THE
BOY AND HIS GRAMMAR AND THAT

HE CAN'T USE ASL, BUT HE HAS
TO USE ENGLISH LIKE SOMEONE

USES SIGNED ENGLISH AND
ENGLISH WORD ORDER, BEING

FORCED TO USE THOSE WORDS,
BUT FOR ME, REALLY I'M TALKING

ABOUT THE BOY USING THE ORAL
METHOD OF COMMUNICATION.

I JUST ADDED THE SIGNS SO YOU
COULD SEE WHAT HE WAS SAYING.

YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOUR
INTERPRETATION OF IT IS THAT

SIGN LANGUAGE IS SO WONDERFUL,
JUST LIKE A SNOWFLAKE IS.

THAT'S AN INTERESTING
INTERPRETATION.

VERY GOOD.

YOU'RE VERY WARM.

HE'S VERY CLOSE.

HE CAUGHT AN IMPORTANT PART,
THAT AT THE END, SNOWFLAKE

IS DISSOLVED.

YOU NOTICE MY FACE.

I DO THAT.

I HAVE A LITTLE SMILE ON
MY FACE, VERY SLIGHT.

YOU'RE VERY CLOSE.

YOUR INTERPRETATION
IS VERY CLOSE.

YOU ARE SAYING HERE THAT IT'S
A FEELING THAT THE SNOWFLAKE

MELTING IS ABOUT THE FEELINGS
THAT ARE HIDDEN INSIDE OF YOU,

THAT A PERSON HAS TO FAKE IT
IN ORDER TO MAKE IT IN THIS

HEARING WORLD.

YOU'RE SAYING IT'S ABOUT A
SNOWFLAKE GROWING AND THAT

LATER, IT WILL BE ABLE TO
SPREAD INTO THE EARTH

AND RISE AGAIN.

HMM, THAT'S INTERESTING.

YOU'RE SAYING HERE THAT
THE MEANING IS THAT ONE'S

EXPRESSION IN SOME CASES MUST
BE BLANK AND HIDE ONE'S ANGER,

NOT BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS
YOUR TRUE FEELINGS.

YOU'RE ALL VERY CLOSE HERE.

YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU
COULDN'T REALLY FOLLOW

ALL OF IT,
BUT AT THE VERY END,

YOU CAUGHT THE IDEA OF A
SNOWFLAKE IS OBLITERATED

INTO THE GROUND, MEANING THAT
OPPRESSION IS CONTINUING

AND THE SMILE IS JUST A
COVER-UP FOR THE HARD FEELINGS

OF THAT IMPRESSIONABLE--

YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE MEANING
IS THAT THE LITTLE GIRL OR

LITTLE BOY, WHATEVER--RIGHT;
I DIDN'T SPECIFY THE GENDER;

YOU'RE RIGHT--THAT THE
MEANING IS ABOUT THAT

THE COMMUNICATION HERE IS
SIMPLY SUPERFICIAL.

THERE'S NO DEPTH TO IT.

RIGHT. VERY GOOD. OK. YES?

YOU'RE SAYING, THE POEM
HERE IS ABOUT THE FEELINGS

OF BITTERNESS AND
DISAPPOINTMENT THAT ONE FEELS

WHEN A SNOWFLAKE IS
DISSOLVED IN THE EARTH.

THERE'S A KIND OF
A BITTER FEELING.

HMM.

I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

THIS POEM IS VERY IRONIC.

THE SNOWFLAKE ENDS, AND MY
EXPRESSION IS MILD, BUT THAT

MILD EXPRESSION
REALLY IS IRONIC.

THE SNOWFLAKE--

YOU KNOW THAT NO TWO
SNOWFLAKES ARE ALIKE.

EACH SNOWFLAKE HAS ITS
OWN UNIQUE DESIGN.

EACH SNOWFLAKE IS
AN INDIVIDUAL.

EVERY SNOWFLAKE IS ITS OWN
ENTITY, AND WHAT COULD THAT

EQUATE TO?

WHAT COULD THAT
CONCEPT EQUATE TO?

THE SNOWFLAKE IS LIKE...

EACH DIFFERENT PERSON IN THE
WORLD, WHO IS ALSO UNIQUE.

RIGHT.

IT IS POETIC.

A SNOWFLAKE IS A
METAPHOR FOR INDIVIDUALS.

RIGHT.

THE SNOWFLAKE--

WELL, FIRST, YOU SEE,
WE HAVE THE SUN.

THE SUN NOW IS REPRESENTATIVE
OF WARMTH AND ENERGY, HEAT,

AND ALSO AUTHORITY.

WHO'S IN
AUTHORITY?

THE FATHER, RIGHT,

THE FATHER, WHO'S GROWN
AND AN AUTHORITY WHO HAS

THE POWER AND THE HEAT OF
HIM RADIATING DOWN.

NOW, THE SNOWFLAKE, THEN,
IS A METAPHOR FOR THE CHILD,

AND WHEN HE LANDS INTO
THE HEAT OF THE FATHER,

WHAT HAPPENS?

HE MELTS, RIGHT, AND THIS IS
A SYMBOL OF HOW HE

LOSES IDENTITY.

HE IS DISSOLVED IN THE HEAT
OF HIS FATHER'S POWER.

NOW, IT LOOKS VERY
BEAUTIFUL, YOU SEE.

MY EXPRESSION IS THAT IT'S ALL
VERY LOVELY, BUT IRONICALLY,

IT'S VERY SAD.

SO I'LL DO THIS POEM FOR YOU
AGAIN SO YOU CAN SEE IT AGAIN.

WHAT ELSE DID I
WANT TO MENTION?

OH, OH. DID YOU
NOTICE SOMETHING?

YOU WERE SAYING THAT--

WHEN YOU SAID THAT ABOUT
A DEAF CHILD, IT REALLY

STRUCK ME.

HOW'D YOU KNOW THAT
THE CHILD WAS DEAF?

HOW DID ALL OF YOU KNOW THAT?

BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY
WERE TRYING TO READ LIPS

AND THE WAY THAT THEY SPOKE
AND THE WAY THEY SAID,

"MY NAME IS..."

THAT'S RIGHT. OK.

I SEE WHERE YOU
CAUGHT THAT NOW.

YOU'RE SAYING THE FATHER HAS
BEEN SAYING, "IS," SAYING--

YEAH. OH, THAT'S GOOD.

HE'S SAYING THAT ONE.

HE'S SAYING THAT,
"I AM 5 YEARS," AND EMPHASIZING

THE "S," "OLD," AND THE
"S"...THE SUN, MEANING THAT

IN SOME WAYS--

WHY--DID YOU NOTICE HOW I--

[NO AUDIO]

THE NEXT POEM I WILL ATTEMPT
FOR YOU IS ENTITLED "PAWNS,"

"PAWNS."

DO YOU KNOW THAT THOSE PIECES
ON A CHESS BOARD--THE SMALL,

LITTLE ONE--IS CALLED PAWNS,
AND MY VISION OF THEM IS THAT

PAWNS ARE SMALL AND DELICATE.

PAWNS ARE REPRESENTING TWO
OF MY FRIENDS WHO WERE

DYING OF AIDS.

ONE IS NAMED JOHN SMITH,
AND THE OTHER IS STAN EDWARDS.

BOTH ARE GONE, AND I DEDICATE
THIS POEM FOR BOTH

THE TWO OF THEM.

[LAUGHTER]

[PEOPLE CLAP]

DOES ANYONE WANT TO TAKE
A GUESS AT WHAT THE HIDDEN

MEANINGS ARE IN THIS POEM?

IT'S ABOUT AIDS. YOU'RE RIGHT.
WHAT ELSE?

THE VERY END IS VERY
IMPORTANT IN THIS POEM.

OK. ONE AT A TIME.
WHAT WERE YOU SAYING?

I CAN'T WATCH TOO MANY
PEOPLE AT ONE TIME HERE.

YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE
GOVERNMENT WON'T HELP ANYONE

WITH AIDS, BUT THE QUILT
IS AN HONOR TO THEM.

CORRECT, BUT THE ENDING OF THE
POEM IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE ARE
NO SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE

AIDS, BUT THEY'RE
NEGLECTED, AND THEY END UP

DYING, BUT WHAT'S DIFFERENT
ABOUT THE FLAG THAT GOT TURNED

UP AT THE END?

DOES THAT MEAN THAT THERE'S
PEACE AT THE END, THAT

FREEDOM PREVAILS?

YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE FLAG,
WHEN IT OVERTURNED, THERE'S NO

IDENTITY LEFT WHEN THE
PEOPLE ARE LEFT ON THE GROUND

LIKE THAT.

YOU'RE SAYING, WELL, THERE'S
NO REMEMBRANCE IN HONOR

OF THE DEAD PEOPLE, RIGHT,
BUT NOTICE...

WHAT'S THIS? WHAT'S THIS?

A FLAG. RIGHT.

RIGHT, USA, BUT WHO?

WHO IS THE--
WHO IS THIS?

DO YOU NOTICE, DEAF
PEOPLE TEND...

TO SIGN THIS WAY.

THE FLAG IS LIKE THIS WITH
STARS AND STRIPES, BUT DEAF

PEOPLE TEND TO SAY, "STARS AND
FIN," SIGN IT IN THIS WAY.

I'VE SEEN THIS OVER
AND OVER AGAIN.

TOURING DIFFERENT PLACES AND
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, I SEE

ALL OVER THAT PEOPLE SIGN IT
THIS WAY, AND I'VE TAKEN THAT

VERBATIM FROM THE DEAF
COMMUNITY, THE STARS SPREADING

OUT AHEAD AND THE
STRIPES GOING ACROSS.

NOW WHEN I TAKE THE FLAGS
AND LAY THEM UP LIKE THIS,

WHAT DOES THAT SIGNIFY?

HOW DOES THAT CONNECT WITH
THE DEAF COMMUNITY, THAT

IT'S DYING?

RIGHT, BUT THERE'S
TWO FLAGS HERE.

YOU'RE CLOSE. YOU'RE CLOSE.

IT SHOWS THAT DEAF AMERICANS
NEED SUPPORT, BUT THEY'RE

STILL DYING.

THAT'S CLOSE, DEAF
AMERICAN SUPPORT.

"I GAVE YOU SUPPORT TODAY,
AND THERE'S STILL THERE'S MORE."

YOU'RE SAYING AT THE END THAT
THERE'S AN EXPRESSION OF,

"OH, WELL."

I'M WONDERING THAT WHEN HANDS
TURN FACE UP, IT MIGHT MEAN

THAT THE FLAG IS THERE FACE
UP, BUT THE PEOPLE STILL

SURVIVE BEYOND THE STARS
AND STRIPES, BUT THE WORLD

ITSELF IS GONE.

THE WORLD OF THE FLAG IS GONE.

YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE FACE-UP
FLAG SYMBOLIZES THE PEOPLE WHO

HAVE AIDS WHO ARE HONORED
IN THE QUILT, THE PANELS

OF THE QUILT.

YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE QUILT.

HE'S SAYING, THIS IS TALKING
ABOUT THE QUILT, AND WHAT IF

THE AMERICAN FLAG WAS
A PART OF THAT QUILT?

WHAT WOULD THAT BE ABOUT?

IF THE AMERICAN FLAG WAS DOWN
THERE AS A PIECE OF THE QUILT,

THAT MEANS WHEN THE SOLDIERS
DIE IN WAR, THERE'S A PARADE,

AND THEY ALWAYS PUT QUILT--

WHEN SOLDIERS DIE, QUILTS
ARE OFTEN DRAPED OVER

THE COFFIN--THAT'S RIGHT,
INTERESTING INTERPRETATION--OR

THE FLAG IS PLACED OVER THE
COFFIN, BUT YOU'RE TALKING

MORE ABOUT DEAF PEOPLE,
MANY DEAF PEOPLE WHO HAVE

AIDS THAT DIED.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THIS IS REALLY TRUE THAT
THIS IS A DIFFICULT POEM TO

DECIPHER, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT,
AND WHEN I SIGN THE DEAF STARS

AND STRIPES AS I DO, THIS IS
A WAY OF SAYING TO

DEAF PEOPLE--

AND WHEN ALL THESE FLAGS
ARE OVERTURNED, IT'S A WAY

OF SAYING THAT THE DEAF
POPULATION WILL DIMINISH.

THE WORLD WILL DIMINISH.

IT MAY GROW AGAIN...

BUT AT THE TIME, IT'S
DIMINISHING BECAUSE OF AIDS.

DEAF COMMUNITY IS VERY
SMALL TO BEGIN WITH.

IT MAY BE ABLE TO--

PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, "OH, WE CAN
FIND A CURE, AND PEOPLE WILL

SURVIVE AIDS, AFTER ALL,"
BUT IF TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE

DEAF, WE CAN GET IT, THEN WE
MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO SAVE

THAT COMMUNITY.

SHE WAS ASKING HERE, "WHY ARE
THERE TWO DIFFERENT FLAGS?"

WELL, BECAUSE IT'S SYMBOLIZING
BOTH OF OUR FRIENDS

JOHN AND STAN.

[NO AUDIO]



WELL, WHAT ABOUT
PERFORMING ARTS?

THERE WAS A GROUP OF US
WHO WERE INVOLVED

IN THE PERFORMING ARTS,
AND ONE NIGHT, WE WERE

DISCUSSING SOMETHING AND
HAVING A NICE TIME WHEN ALL

OF A SUDDEN, THERE WAS A
REALLY NASTY FIGHT BETWEEN

TWO OF US.

THE NEXT DAY, IT SEEMED THAT IT
WAS RESOLVED, BUT ONE PERSON,

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN INVOLVED
IN THE ARGUMENT, CAME UP TO

ME, AND SAID LATER,
"YOU KNOW, I TOLD HIM I

WAS SORRY."

THAT REALLY DISTURBED ME.

SHE WAS THE ONE THAT
SAID SHE WAS SORRY?

SO I CREATED THIS POEM,
AND I DEDICATE IT TO MY FRIEND

WHO SAID, "I'M SORRY."

[LAUGHTER]

[LAUGHTER]



[PEOPLE CLAPPING]

ANYBODY JUST DISCOVER
THE DEEPER MEANINGS HELD WITHIN

THIS POEM?

YOU'RE SAYING THAT,
"I WON'T SAY ANYTHING.

"YOU MAY SAY YOU'RE SORRY NOW,
BUT IT'S MY RIGHT TO

BE SILENT."

I THINK IT'S GOOD ENOUGH TO
LEAVE YOUR INTERPRETATIONS

TO YOURSELVES.

THIS POEM SPEAKS FOR
ITSELF PRETTY CLEARLY.

WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO
REPEAT IT AGAIN, ANYONE?

SHALL I DO IT AGAIN?

OK. OK. FINE.

NOW, DO YOU WANT ME TO
EXPLAIN ANYTHING MORE ABOUT IT

FIRST OR NOT?

SHOULD I JUST GO AHEAD
AND DO IT AGAIN?

NO? YES?

I SHALL JUST GO AHEAD
AND DO IT AGAIN.

OK. FINE.

YOU WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT IT?

NO. THAT'S ALL
I'M GONNA SAY. NO.

I DON'T DARE.

I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU,
AND YOU CAN ALL DECIDE

FOR YOURSELVES, AND I'LL
PERFORM THE POEM AGAIN.



[PEOPLE CLAPPING]

THIS NEXT IS MY FINAL POEM,
ENTITLED "CAVE."

LET ME TELL YOU, THOUGH,
IT'S VERY COMPLEX.

YOU MAY WATCH IT AND
BE COMPLETELY BEMUSED,

BUT THAT'S FINE.

AFTER I PERFORM IT, WE 'LL
DISCUSS IT IN DEPTH, AND THEN

WHEN I PERFORM IT FOR THE SECOND
TIME, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND MUCH

MORE CLEARLY THIS
POEM "THE CAVE."

I CREATED THIS POEM
BECAUSE ONE WOMAN NAMED

BARBARA KANNAPELL WAS GIVING
A PRESENTATION ABOUT DEAF

CULTURE AND OTHER STUFF,
AND THAT TIME, IT WAS 1985,

AND I SAT THERE COMPLETELY
MESMERIZED BY HER TALK,

AND THERE WAS ONE
POINT THAT SHE MADE

ABOUT COCHLEAR IMPLANTS.

SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE
INNER EAR, AND YOU KNOW HOW

THEY ALWAYS TALK
ABOUT THE BIG EAR.

YOU KNOW, THEY PUT THIS
GIGANTIC POSTER OF THE EAR

ON THE WALL FOR
EVERYONE TO LOOK AT,

YEAH, YOU KNOW, THE POSTER
THAT YOU'VE ALL SEEN OVER

AND OVER AGAIN.

NOW, I REALLY LIKED THIS IDEA
OF THE BIG EAR, YOU KNOW,

THAT OFTENTIMES, PEOPLE SEE US
AS ONE BIG EAR WITHOUT EVEN

LOOKING AT US...

[LAUGHTER]

I FIND THAT DISGUSTING.

I THOUGHT THAT POINT WAS VERY
TRUE, AND SO I FOUND THE POEM,

AND I ASKED BARBARA IF I COULD
CONVERT HER IDEA INTO A POEM

ABOUT THE BIG EAR.

SHE TOLD ME THAT WAS FINE,
SO I GAVE IT A LOT OF THOUGHT.

WELL, I REALIZED THE CONCEPT
WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO WORK

WITH, AND I STRUGGLED
WITH IT A LONG TIME.

IT WAS ALMOST 3 YEARS IN
THE MAKING UNTIL FINALLY,

IT HAPPENED TO BE
BARBARA'S BIRTHDAY.

SHE INVITED--

THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE INVITED
TO A PARTY FOR HER, AND I

THOUGHT, "I'D LOVE TO PRESENT
TO HER THIS POEM ABOUT THE EAR

TO DEDICATE TO HER FOR HER
BIRTHDAY," FINALLY CAME UP

WITH IT, AND ENTITLED
IT "THE CAVE."

CAVE IS SIGNED LIKE THIS.

[LAUGHTER]



[LAUGHTER]

[PEOPLE CLAPPING]

WELL--HA HA HA!--WHAT
DO YOU THINK?

ARE YOU COMPLETELY
[INDISTINCT]?

THIS IS LIKE A BAND--

YOU'RE RIGHT--
KIND OF LIKE A BAND.

SHE SAID, IT'S LIKE MUSIC,
YOU KNOW, LIKE A BIG

FANFARE BAND.

YOU'RE CLOSE.
YOU'RE ALMOST RIGHT.

WHAT'S THE THOUGHT?
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

THIS IS ABOUT--

IT'S ABOUT THE INNER EAR,
PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF, OR PEOPLE

ALWAYS TRYING TO FIND OUT
HOW TO IMPROVE DEAF PEOPLE'S

HEARING, TRYING TO MAKE
THEM ABLE TO HEAR BETTER.

THEY TRY TO HELP, AND THEY
EVEN ENTER INTO THE EAR TO TRY

TO FIX IT.

RIGHT. THIS IS
CORRECT. VERY GOOD.

YOU GOT THE POINT, HIT
THE NAIL ON THE HEAD...

AND FINALLY, IT'S A COMPARISON
BETWEEN THE EAR

AND A CAVE, RIGHT?

YOU GO DOWN INTO A CAVE,
AND THE TUBE GOES DOWN

INTO THE EAR,
AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE,

THE DIFFERENT LINES IN
AROUND THE EAR COMPARE

TO STALACTITES IN A CAVE,
AND WHAT'S THIS BEING PULLED

OFF, THINGS BEING PULLED OFF?

DO YOU KNOW THAT THEY DO?

THEY CLEAN OUT THE EAR,
WHAT'S BEING PULLED UP?

WHAT'S BEING PULLED OUT?

CILIA. RIGHT, AND THEY'RE
IMPLANTING A COCHLEAR IMPLANT

INTO THE EAR, TAKING
IT DEEP DOWN INSIDE.

AND YOU HAVE JUST A QUESTION.

YOU'RE SAYING, "HOW DO YOU KNOW
IF THE INCEPTION OF THIS IS

"POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?

YOU'RE SAYING IT'S NEGATIVE."

WELL, HMM, YOU'RE RIGHT.

YOU COULDN'T CATCH IT,
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.

I'M NOT OVERT ABOUT MY
IMPRESSIONS OF THIS.

I LOVE AMBIGUITIES, AND I
THOUGHT YOU WOULD HAVE TO WORK

HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT
IS THAT I'M REALLY--WELL,

WHAT THE REAL POINT IS.

I JUST LIKE TO TALK AND GIVE
YOU A PICTURE, AN IMAGE,

AS I DID IN "SNOWFLAKE" AND
AS I DO IN "THE CAVE"

AND LET YOU THEN FIGURE
OUT WHY MY PRESUMPTIONS ARE

IN THESE IMAGES.

WE HAVE A CAVE,

AND THEN WE HAVE THESE STEPS,
YOU KNOW, STAIRS GOING DEEPER

AND DEEPER DOWN TO THE CAVE.

WHAT DO THESE
STAIRS SYMBOLIZE?

IT'S THE LINE TO
THE COCHLEAR IMP--

OH, A LINE FOR THE COCHLEAR
IMPLANT, AND THEN THESE

LIGHTS, WHAT DO
THEY SYMBOLIZE?

THE ELECTRICITY, RIGHT,
THE ENERGY, THE ELECTRICITY

THAT'S BEING WIRED DOWN INTO
THE EAR, AND THESE DRIPS

IN THE LIGHT, WHAT'S THAT?

AIR CONDITIONING
PLACED WITHIN A CAVE,

MEANING THAT REALLY THE
NATURAL ELEMENTS OF THE EAR

ARE TAKEN OUT, AND THESE
ARTIFICIAL ELEMENTS ARE PLACED

IN, AND IT'S VERY IRONIC.

YOU NOTICE THE RIBBONS I
SET UP AND THE LIGHTS

AND THE CHAIRS--RED, WHITE,
AND BLUE--PLACED THROUGHOUT

THE AUDIENCE
SYMBOLIZING AMERICA.

SAY, NOW, WHY WOULD I
DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

WHY WOULD I BRING UP
THE AMERICAN FLAG?

BECAUSE THE
GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS THIS?

RIGHT, BECAUSETHIS WAS DURING
THE TIME OF THE HIPPIES WHEN

THEY USED BRIGHT COLORS AND
TIE-DYES AND ALL THAT KIND

OF THING...

[LAUGHTER]

TO LOOK INTERESTING.

YOU JUST--

[LAUGHTER]

AND ALL THOSE NICE--

HAD HALLUCINATIONS, DAY-GLO
NIGHTS, AND WE'RE ALMOST

TALKING ABOUT MONEY HERE.

YOU KNOW, THE COCHLEAR
IMPLANTS COST MILLIONS

OF DOLLARS.

IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE.

YOU'RE PUTTING A LOT OF MONEY
INTO A KID WHEN THEY DO THAT,

SO I'M SURE THAT
THE TECHNOLOGISTS,

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THIS,

ONLY SEE DOLLAR SIGNS IN FRONT
OF THEIR EYES WHEN THEY THINK

OF PLACING COCHLEAR IMPLANTS.

NOW, WHAT'S ALL THIS ABOUT,
THIS BRIGHTNESS UP IN THE SKY?

IT'S ABOUT THE SOUND, ABOUT
MISPERCEPTIONS, VERY GOOD,

ABOUT ANGER.

IT'S LACED WITH
INTERPRETATIONS, BUT MY

INTERPRETATIONS ARE THAT THESE
ARE THE SOUNDS THAT I CAN

HEAR, AND A COCHLEAR IMPLANT
JUST MAKES THOSE SOUNDS

INCREASED IN VOLUME, SO YOU
MAY HEAR AN AIRPLANE NOW

WITH INCREASED
AMPLITUDE, SO WHAT,

THEN, GOOD IS THAT?

OK. NOW I'LL PERFORM IT AGAIN,
ALL RIGHT, AND THIS IS

THE LAST AND FINAL POEM.

[LAUGHTER]



[PEOPLE CLAPPING AND CHEERING]

OK. THAT'S ALL FOR THIS
EVENING, BUT I'D LIKE TO LET

YOU KNOW THAT BEING HERE
WAS REALLY EXCITING FOR ME.

I'M TEACHING DEAF CHILDREN
NOW, AND THERE'S MORE AND MORE

NEWS ABOUT CHILDREN GETTING
COCHLEAR IMPLANTS, SO I REALLY

WANT TO TALK TO YOU.

I'LL BE WRITING AN
IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
TO MY MESSAGE.

TAKE CARE.

[PEOPLE CLAPPING]

I'D LIKE TO THANK THE
INTERPRETER FOR INTERPRETING

FOR CLAYTON VALLI
TONIGHT--SUSAN CHAPLIN...

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

AND WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE
TONIGHT, AND I HOPE YOU COME

BACK AFTER THAT.

"This project is supported by a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The grant program is made possible by funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation."

Title supplied by cataloger