Errantic poetry
‘Errantic poetry’ is a growing collection of poems written and interpreted in English, Computer software and American Sign Language. The collection is a mix of original work by Taeyoon Choi and collaborators. The poems range from personal reflections to open ended prompts that invite others to complete it. The poems are translated, interpreted and creatively exploit the three languages mentioned above. It’s an attempt in giving form to a new kind of language, one that is incomplete without interpretation.
Betsy Wang notes on translation Édouard Glissant‘s Poetics of relation, “While errance is usually translated as “wandering,” “errantry” seems better suited to Glissant’s use of the word… Errance for Glissant, while not aimed like an arrow’s trajectory, nor circular and repetitive like the nomad’s, is not idle roaming, but includes a sense of sacred motivation.”
The process of writing and reading these works are performance in itself. The act of engaging with these poems is to challenge the power structure inherent within the language, the social normalcy and expectation of reading and hearing. Computer software is the new everyday language, pervasively present in everyday life and yet cryptic and unapproachable by most people. This project focus on the adventurous and somewhat mischievous nature in code and ASL. For example, code poems are artistic appropriation of software language as the poetic expression, Deaf poetry jam is performing poems by sign language. Errantic poetry aspires to be an energetic and strange mix of two.
Errantic poetry workshop is the pedagogic root of the project. The workshop focus on teaching English, Computer programming and ASL through poetry. The curriculum is designed toward encouraging the non-hearing learners to write poems in their invented language. It’s an invitation for the participants, teachers and learners alike, to depart from the normalcy imposed by the language, and join the journey of creative misuse of languages.
The workshop is going to be realized through in depth collaboration between the co-teachers, a group of non-hearing and hearing artists, writers, technologists and ASL interpreters. Over a series of intimate meetings, the co-teachers will collaboratively build a curriculum and lead workshops for the general public in 2016.
The first meeting will focus on introducing the concept of the project, a session on learning ASL and computer programming, and sharing stories about the best approach for teaching and learning.
Please reach out to taeyoon@sfpc.io if you are interested in being involved. The first meeting will take place in New York City in mid January 2016.
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