My husband was profoundly deaf and communicated using American Sign Language (ASL).

ASL or Ameslan is the dominant language of the deaf community in the United States and is not as simple as substituting signs for English words.

It is s a visual-spatial language with its own syntax and grammar. It is more similar to spoken Japanese than English.

My husband’s favorite poem to sign was i carry your heart with me by e.e. cummings.

He signed it to me on our first Valentine’s Day together, during our wedding ceremony, and on each Valentine’s Day following, until he overdosed and died last May.

I hope he now has the peace he could not find when he was here with us.

I hope you have a sweet Valentine’s Day
and that you are not alone
… unless you want to be.

Recovery Rocks!

Roxie

i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,  my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

~ e.e. cummings

Recovery Rocks!

Roxie

You are invited to sign the Recovery Wall

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