Poetry

Creative Works

From the earliest film clips of signed languages, we find poetic games that invite us to think that the desire to play with language, and thus poetic creation, comes naturally paired with the use of language. Although there is little or no specific knowledge available about what kinds of artistic production existed before what is documented in these archives, we do know that narrative creations animated stages throughout the history of [Page 734]Deaf clubs. Today, poetry is still presented on stage at both local and international gatherings. Many festivals and competitions are now devoted to sign language poetry. Moreover, the possibility of seeing and appreciating poetic work is now greatly enhanced by video recording and webcasting. A simple search shows that poetic creation is abundant and that it is taught and studied.

For those interested in sign language poetry, an important thing to pay attention to is its evolution. Poetic styles and techniques are continuously changing and becoming more sophisticated. Today, the development of Deaf Studies gives us the distance necessary to identify different artistic currents and periodize its evolution. More traditional forms such as rhythmic patterns and constraints (acrostic, ABC stories, number stories) are part of poetic work that have now become folklore, taught in some schools as well as transmitted naturally from one generation to another. Though some works in this category have become fixed, these forms of constrained poetry are still alive and well and are the engine of much contemporary artistic production.

Other forms of poetry are more contemporary and, though innovative, continue to tap into and strengthen tradition. Consider, for example, the works rooted in the visual vernacular (VV) developed by Bernard Bragg. Visual vernacular is a technique derived from a synthesis of the iconic capacities of signed languages and pantomime as taught by Marcel Marceau. It uses the iconic strength of signed languages to form a poetry that is in dialogue with cinema. This technique has been so influential that there are now international competitions dedicated to the visual vernacular, bringing its most talented performers to the fore.

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