A NONSPEAKER’S QUEST
A NONSPEAKER’S QUEST
I just finished reading this book “Happiness Falls”. The central character is a nonspeaker and I enjoyed reading that a lot. The author, Angie Kim, has done a lot of research and has portrayed the character in an empowering way. Here is a short poem on the book.
A nonspeaker’s quest
I am moving slowly
The book is dawning on me
A life on lockdown
And the pages losing letters
The uniqueness of the story
Embellished by intersectionality
Of identities, incredulity of loss
And a confluence of factors
I laughed and leaned
I despaired and wept
I hoped and shared
I yearned and longed
The happiness journey
Via the rollercoaster of life
The destiny of a family
And its ever evolving baselines
Can a nonspeaker’s voice be trusted
On the most difficult day of his life
When all his life, he was
Buried under vast swathes of doubt?
Is the pursuit of happiness
The most important goal?
Or the futility of these pursuits
The most defining legacy?
-Swarit Gopalan
P.S. Thank you Angie Kim for this labor of love to our tribe.