“Flying Words: American Sign Language Poetry”

“Flying Words: American Sign Language Poetry” Deaf Poet Peter Cook and hearing coauthor Kenny Lerner have been the FLYING WORDS PROJECT since 1984. From rhyming hand shapes to sound effect duets, they juxtapose sign and sound into imagery you can see, a moving tapestry uniquely accessible to both hearing and deaf audiences. Theirs is a new poetry that has showcased around the world –Flying Words land on time and you have to be there to understand everything!

Deaf ASL poet Peter Cook's stunning imagery is captured by hearing poet Kenny Lerner's spoken words allowing the hearing to literally see the poetry. Dr Dirksen Bauman, author of "Signing the Body Poetic" sums up this ASL poetry troupe: "Flying Words Project has accomplished what poets have been trying to do for several centuries now; to make their poems more visual, more embodied, more alive...It is remarkable to think that they are currently influencing the entire course of ASL poetry." They write and share about love, loss, politics and the absurdity of everything in between.