BSL stands for British Sign Language, so BSL poetry… you get the idea. I have performed at Poetry Festivals, memorably at the Southbank Centre, part of the Royal Festival Hall, a few years ago, and most recently with other BSL poets at BSL Poetry events at Bristol Deaf Club. All of these events have been sold out, so clearly there is interest in sign language poetry out there, but at the moment only a few poets. Hopefully that will change, as more and more people get involved. Currently I am working with a project led by Dr Rachel Sutton-Spence to record, analyse and encourage BSL poetry, it is as part of this project that the events at Bristol Deaf Club have been organised. It’s strange in a way, as three of the country’s BSL poets live near Bristol. Maybe it’s the ambience! In March 2012, we will travel to Philadephia, where Dr Sutton-Spence is currently based, to perform in an international Sign Language poetry slam!
You can find more information about BSL poetry, the poets involved in the project and see my some of poems at the anthology website here: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/education/research/sites/micsl/
My next performance is scheduled to be at a Disability History Month event in Bristol on 14th January 2012. Looking forward to it!
