Deaf American Poetry: An Anthology

The “Nad”*

George M. Teegarden 77 The “Nad”* The “Nad” is out of swaddling clothes— He’s lusty and his horn he blows, You bet. We all will join this hustling band Nor make our bow to voices “canned”— Not yet. We like not the Procrustean bed, Nor all with the same spoon be fed— We’ll fight. To check bad laws in this free land— Stand by our cause so true and grand— Our right. And east and west and north and south, By every sign and word of mouth, We’ll sing The praises of the N. A. D., And put to flight the enemy, A-ling. If you’re a Nad, why, that’s all right, You’re numbered with the best tonight, My son. Are you a Nad? If not, why not? Right here and now, upon the spot, Be one! * This pronoun refers to someone who is a member of the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), which was founded in 1880 and ever since has been the nation’s leading advocacy organization devoted to the welfare and civil rights of Deaf people. “Are you a member of NAD?” can be signed with only two signs and an inquiring facial expression as “You NAD?” Hence, its translation back into English might be “Are you a Nad?” ...