Have you ever entered a writing contest with a tight deadline? Well, that's what happened here. I recently entered the #SpringFlingKidLit Contest. With only a few days to create and enter, there was no time to overthink it. With the encouragement of my friend Joy, who is also participating in the 12 x 12 writing challenge, I decided to take a chance and enter the #SpringFlingKidLit Contest hosted by Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez and Ciara O'Neal. The contest's theme was spring, and each entrant had to create a masterpiece within a limit of 150 words or less. I selected a GIF of birds jumping up and down, chirping.
Recently, I had the pleasure of sharing Becky Gage's pop-up book in a blog and on Instagram and Facebook: How Much Do You Know About... American Sign Language, and Deaf Culture, History, Jokes, and Stories? One of those stories is about birds on the telephone lines.
The story goes like this: a hearing man notices birds behaving differently on two phone lines. On the line from his house, the birds sit quietly, while on the line from his Deaf neighbor's house, birds actively jump up and down.
Inquiring with the Deaf neighbor, the hearing man learned he was using a teletypewriter (TTY). It was big and loud, like a super sturdy old typewriter. The loud sounds caused vibrations that shook the floor as he demonstrated how it worked to the hearing neighbor. Heading back outside, he saw the startled birds jumping up and down in unison with the vibrations of the loud TTY machine.
Becky's book provides a beautifully written version of the story along with historical tidbits about the TTY— and the TTD of the 1970s. If you are Deaf or a signer, you'll love watching a signer sign the story and the history notes using the QR codes provided.
When I found this GFI, it made me think about this Deaf Story. I hope you will enjoy it. That is a phone line? Well, pretend it is:)
Sounds of Spring Fling
Birds sit on the phone wire, moving up and down.
Sharing sounds of music as their voices fill the clouds.
To the hearing household, the airway's not so clear.
All the little voices springing in their ears.
Sudden TTY typing, back and forth they go.
Birds dancing to the clickety-clack coming from below.
Excitedly chirping, the winged choir growing loud.
Vibrations' their interpretations, the keys pound.
Phone lines grow slowly silent; the birds begin to sleep.
Nodding off and dreaming of the chatter from beneath.
That's all!
Have you ever been inspired by a GIF to write a little story or enter a writing contest? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Enjoy your day with songs and signs.