In a previous post, I explained how my Word of the Year for 2011 is ROOTS. This will be an on-going theme in my blog this year, and I plan to create several posts through-out the year which revolve around this theme.
Some of those posts will focus on connecting to my roots as a Deaf person, and will feature poems created by my friend Julie Rems-Smario. I think her poems connect to my theme in a very beautiful and spiritual way, as well as expressing my pride in my Deaf identity.
This is the first of such poems.
Thank you, Julie.
ASL Tree
a deaf village
without ASL
is like a tree
without roots
long ago in america
reverend thomas gallaudet
met alice cogswell
a deaf child without language
a child alone in her family
her soul was hallow
like a seedling without water
the thirsty seedling
touched his heart
saddened his soul
a child without language
of her birthright
is a seedling without
mother earth
inspired by a deaf child
gallaudet searched for ways
for the seedling to thrive
to nurture her soul
he sailed miles away
across atlantic ocean
time was running out
gallaudet looked everywhere
places such as england
met other seedlings like alice
but found their roots
weak, not thriving
in their eyes were souls
crying for their mother earth
pained for the seedlings
determined to find answers
gallaudet continued his quest
with alice in his heart
there from city of paris
he met laurent clerc
a strong, vibrant deaf man
gallaudet was mesmerized
laurent’s eyes reflected
a very warm soul
connected to mother earth
radiated with french sign language
he was a strong, beautiful tree
a deeply rooted tree
sunrays peeked through the clouds
touching laurent’s moving hands
and his expressive scarred face
light of god’s message
enveloped laurent
gallaudet saw the answer
for alice cogswell
the divine power gave
gallaudet and laurent
a shared vision
a vision of a deaf village
blossoming in america
with laurent’s gift of language
pouring life into mother earth
together laurent and gallaudet
sailed to the land of america
to wake up the hallow souls
with language of their birthright
nourishing their thirsty mind
many deaf children like alice
will soon find mother earth
alice stood by the door
hiding behind her father
saw Laurent for first time
he stepped into her home
kneeled to meet her eyes
their eyes locked
she was bewildered
laurent’s two fingers
placed on his scarred cheek
signed his name Laurent
alice’s eyes lightened
she lifted her hands
signed laurent’s name
a beautiful friendship
the seedling found her root
planted in mother earth
absorbing new words daily
her roots grew deeper
her chin lifted higher
the budding roots thrived
American Sign Language, ASL, was born
word about laurent and alice
spread like wild fire
american school for the deaf opened
deaf children traveled from afar
gathered around laurent
in hartford, connecticut
a deaf village was born
a miraculous moment
American Sign Language, ASL
watered thirsty seedlings
minds blossomed thousand folds
eyes gleamed with warm souls
seedlings’ roots grew strong
embraced by mother earth
deaf children grew up
enriched with stories to share
in American Sign Language, ASL
became teachers, editors, and more
married and raised children
founded more deaf schools
new deaf villages mushroomed
tree grew stronger
roots thrived deeply
thick branches reaching out
everywhere deaf villages found
virginia ohio oregon and more
alice died too young
but not without her roots
a deaf village
without ASL
is like a tree
without roots
by julie rems-smario
2006
Julie Rems-Smario lives with her husband and children in the Bay Area of California, where she works as Executive Director of Deaf Hope, a non-profit agency established for and by Deaf women in January 2003. The mission at DeafHope is to end domestic and sexual violence against Deaf women and children through empowerment, education and services. When not busy running the agency, Julie enjoys gathering with her friends… and writing poetry.
For more information about DeafHope, check out their website at
This sculpture shows the sign for "connect"...and that is what Deaf Pagan Crossroads is all about - making connections. Connections between Deafhood and Paganism, connections between the Deaf Community and the Hearing Community, connections between myself as the writer and you as the reader. I hope you will take the time to read my various posts, some of which are listed below. Welcome to the Crossroads, and I hope you make some connections here!
Deaf Pagan Crossroads 
ocean
thank u so much for sharing julie’s poem – i didnt know she wrote poetry. thank u for sharing it
who is the artwork of the tree by???
also thank u for picking the them of ROOTS
as our collective consciousness would have it – i had just left a long comment referencing our roots over a the Terlinguan’s blog entry
http://theterlinguan.blogspot.com/2011/01/have-you-ever.html
his post is much more eloquent and spot on than my rambling reply but it is marvelous to see us all waking up and seeking to be true via the truth and how our roots are interconnected
im a quote freak but this is one i truly love:
“There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots, the other is wings.” ~ Hodding Carter
and one i have thought of often when thinking of our posterity
this is an artwork i love by French Canadian Deaf artist – Pamela Witcher
“Sign Language, our roots. Deaf children, our future.”
thanks again ocean
my our roots meet & be merry
peace
patti
Hi Patti ~
Thank you for the nice words!
I agree, it’s a beautiful poem. Julie is to be commended for writing it.
As for the artwork of the tree, I honestly don’t know who created it. I wish I did so I could give her/him proper credit. It was sent to me by a Pagan friend who had it in her files, and I thought it would be nice to use for my ROOTS post. Julie loved it, so I used it again here. It is a beautiful piece of artwork, isn’t it?
I love that “roots and wings” quote myself.
Thank you for sharing the artwork from Pamela. I will have to ask her if I might use it sometime, as it is quite beautiful and I would love to share it here at the Crossroads.
May we all continue to discover our roots.
Blessings,
~ Ocean
ah – i just went backward to ur earlier post starting out the “roots” series and see u mentioned the roots and wings quote
we be kindred spirits ocean
thanks for being me kin
peace
patti
Thank you for being my “Root Sister.”
Blessings,
Ocean
i like that, one of these days i will learn to sign and be conected to those that do not hear
heye root sister –
thanks for the reply re: the artwork
it is grand. many Deaf artists are drawn to the tree symbol
not sure if u have seen the Gallaudet film but the Tree / Roots theme is grooving there too
re: Pamela – if u need her contact info let me know. Im sure she would be thrilled by ur interest in her work. She will have a show at NTID this spring. Very excited about it – the link to the work above is one of my favorites of hers. u probably already noticed the arms are roots and the light comes down from the nirvana like community and through each Deaf (no ears) persons heart as if a thread to the very child as if to sign “Deaf on the heart” and the child looks back at the ancestors her/his roots
look forward to more of ur blogging on our roots
its important and will nourish me so i thank u
peace
p