preface
The first two stanzas of Paddy Ladd’s song or poem, “Language in the Bloodstream” is used to preface the Deaf Child mythology. The English text is presented below before the videoclip of the poem signed in ASL coming soon.
Hear Our Sto-o-o-ry
By Paddy Ladd
Did you know? In Rome they killed us in the ancient days
Did you know? We were the idiots in the village games you played
Did You know? We were imprisoned in asylums that you made
Did you know? That even then, our signs they took away
No you didn’t? Why is that?
Did they give you all the facts?
No they didn’t, now it’s time
For you to hear our sto-o-o-ry . . .
From Ladd, Paddy. (2003) Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search for Deafhood. Multilingual Matters Inc. Clevedon:UK. page 462.