Deaf American Poetry: An Anthology

Calling Van Gogh*

Kristen Ringman 281 * Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890) was a Dutch post-Impressionist painter who sliced off his ear in a fit of rage. Calling Van Gogh* I called Van Gogh this morning Forgetting that I was Deaf And he Didn’t have ears And thought What an idea! My ears didn’t work anyway Could I donate them to a hospital? Could I feed them to a bear in the woods? I think I’d rather they were eaten Like the sounds people chew and spit out Before I can possibly grasp a hint Of their flavor I’d ask a man how the sound of the word NO Can taste Because the time I needed that most I was with a Deaf man Who wouldn’t watch my hands that said NO So I doubt he ever learned How it tasted I doubt most men listen When they hear that sound Much less swallow it I think they’d rather choke And spit it out like A bear might spit out the bones Of my ears And the next time I need a man to Taste Kristen Ringman 282 The word NO I can carve it into a piece of bone And shove it down his throat That’ll help him taste it That’ll help me run away From men that don’t listen And ears that don’t hear. ...