"Bones" Accepted for Rochester's Poets Walk

I was just informed that my poem titled "Bones", done in ASL (American Sign Language) in video, is accepted by the Rochester's Poets Walk selections committee. My "Bones" video will be shown as an interactive medium under the ASL Poetry category for the Rochester's Poets Walk project.

Here is a copied and pasted note:

The selections committee for Rochester’s Poets Walk wishes to heartily congratulate you on the choice of your video BONES for inclusion in the ASL Poetry category of this project. Poets Walk is an interactive sidewalk along University Avenue between North Goodman and Prince Streets that will honor poets past and present who have either lived in Rochester or who have close ties to this city. Poet’s Walk is part of the ArtWalk Extension Project, a collaboration between the City of Rochester, the Memorial Art Gallery, Writers & Books, and other area cultural organizations, and is supported by the NY State Department of Transportation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and by federal stimulus funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

You will be in good company, indeed, joining such poets as Walt Whitman, William Carlos Williams, Marianne Moore,John Ashbery, and Lucille Clifton, as well as ASL poets like Robert F. Panara and Clayton Valli.

To read about the Rochester's Poets Walk project, go to this Democratic and Chronicle article:

http://artdrop.democratandchronicle.com/poets-walk

Here is the video of "Bones" that got accepted for you to enjoy watching.

Here is an English-written "Bones" poem:

Curved bones

In pure enamel

Deep inside

The ears,

Sea shells sing

Ocean waves

In micro-size.

Beautiful

As

They should be

Like

Organic ornaments opened

To absorb

The sounds.

Yet some are

Fractured,

The cracks

That

Cool, cut, crucify

Cacophonies’ magic.

The sounds

Are

Censured!

But beauty

Carries inside

Their ears.

Silence spreads smoothly.

Quiet as still water.

Calm as the moon.

John Roche, Myself and other Poets/Musicians at Bug Jar

To see the poster bigger, you need to click on the image.

On April 30th, from 5-8 Pm, John Roche (featured poet), myself and other poets plus musicians after John's reading will perform at Bug Jar downtown Rochester on 219 Monroe Ave. John Roche will read his work, then other poets will read their work afterwards. I, as one of the poets, will perform using sign language and spoken words simultaneously. I will do 2 or 3 poems during this event. I usually perform my work in pure ASL along my original composed electronic music with recorded voice, but in this event, I will only use sign language while I speak at the same time in front of the microphone. For this kind of performance approach, the sign language may not be completely in American Sign Language structure, but more in English-led format. It is not that easy to do pure ASL and voice the English-structured words simultaneously. Also, if it works out, I may have a bongo or percussion player play along one of my poem at this event. I am looking forward to this fun event.

Audience/Performers, ASL Poetry and Performance at Flying Squirrel Community Space

The top photo is the audience watching the show. The second one is Vicki Nordquist performing her ABC ASL skit. The third is Matt Scwhartz signing in ASL along a song.

Photo of Performers, Interpreters, and Owner for ASL Poetry and Performance at Flying Squirrel Community Space

On April 9th, four performers presented their ASL work at the Flying Squirrel Community Space downtown Rochester. Vicki Nordquist performed her ABC ASL sign language skits, Susan Smith performed "The Flood" from Vagina Monologue, one of her daughter's poem titled "Modern Day Media" and her own titled "True Love". Matt Schwartz performed one song (can't remember what is the name of song) and also performed with his high school student, Taylor Rodwell, along Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" song. I, Eddie Swayze, performed his 3 poems/electronic music pieces: "Blade Grey Sky", "Every Man for Himself", and "Night Life". Chad Edmonds, Dawn Zuppelli, and I voiced Susan's and Vicki's work. Dawn Zuppelli, the owner of Flying Squirrel Community, allowed me to provide this great ASL Poetry and Performance show at her facility. The crowd was great in almost full capacity, and I didn't expect that.