As people, we have an instinct to sort ourselves into groups. From politics to religion to hobbies, we constantly seek out ways to fit into larger communities. Groups remove social ambiguity and allow us to feel secure. But poetry disrupts some of this security and puts us back into a gray area. Its possibilities offer versatility: every line in a poem can be meticulously interpreted and re-interpreted, each time teaching us a new lesson. Poems can be crafted, extended or shortened to form a shape. They can be read aloud, or they can be thought over in our racing minds.
This versatility becomes even more profound when we consider poetry’s relationship with the Deaf community. While hearing audiences might experience poetry through sound and rhythm, Deaf poets have revolutionized the art form by embracing its visual-kinetic potential. American Sign Language poetry transforms the space around a poet’s body into a living canvas, where handshapes, movement patterns, and facial expressions create meaning with striking intensity.
Since the 1970s, pioneering Deaf poets like Clayton Valli have demonstrated how poetry transcends auditory boundaries. In his ASL poem, “Dandelion,” Valli uses the natural image of a weed—often overlooked or discarded—to symbolize Deaf resilience. The poem’s visual beauty emerges through hand movements that mimic the dandelion’s growth and eventual dispersal, all without a single spoken word. These artists don’t simply translate spoken verses—they create entirely original works that capitalize on ASL’s unique capabilities, challenging our fundamental understanding of what poetry can be.
For the Deaf community, poetry offers more than artistic expression; it becomes a powerful assertion of cultural identity and linguistic pride. I remember watching a classmate perform a signed poem about silence—not the absence of sound, but the presence of space. As a hearing viewer, I could feel the weight of each pause, each one a vessel of possibility. Through poetry, Deaf individuals reclaim narrative control, sharing perspectives often overlooked in hearing-dominant spaces. Simultaneously, their innovations have expanded poetry’s horizons, reminding us that at its essence, poetry is about human connection rather than specific sensory experiences.
As digital platforms increasingly showcase signed poetry to global audiences, we witness the beautiful paradox that while categories may separate us, art—especially poetry—reunites us in our shared humanity, transcending the very boundaries we create. Did you know that Deaf Awareness Month is celebrated each September, and that International Week of the Deaf takes place every year during the last full week of September? Have you ever paused to wonder how those observances might inspire you to explore the rich world of signed poetry?
If you’d like to participate more actively in elevating Deaf poets and their work, consider following organizations such as the National Association of the Deaf, follow platforms of deaf poets, attend local ASL poetry slams or showcases like Busboys & Poets and support Deaf-led publications. By sharing signed performances on your social feeds, or learning a few simple ASL signs yourself, you help ensure that Deaf voices and visions remain central to our ever-evolving literary landscape. Look out for more events during September, Deaf Awareness Month!
Written by Serena Pallan
Serena Pallan is a student poet who has conducted research with the Deaf community and hopes to unite her academic work with her love for poetry. She is the founder of Voices of Tomorrow, a youth poetry initiative that will launch the first-ever youth stage at New York City's Poetry Festival this July.