Debbie Strange

NationalPoetryMonth.ca April 19, 2023

Aphasia by Debbie Strange is published on NationalPoetryMonth.ca on April 19, 2023

Artist's Statement

“This asemic piece was inspired by my aunt's long struggle with the aftermath of a stroke, and by my fascination with mark making. Aphasia is a disorder that impacts the ability to communicate. It affects speech, as well as the capacity to understand the spoken and written word.

The Ogham Alphabet is an early medieval alphabet, sometimes known as the Celtic Tree Alphabet. It was not a spoken language, but rather, comprised of marks (characters) running along and across a central vertical line, and often engraved on standing stones.

Asemic writing is wordless, so I used this technique to illustrate the connection between the themes.”

Debbie Strange (she/her) is a chronically ill short-form poet, visual artist, and photographer whose creative passions connect her more closely to the world, to others, and to herself. Thousands of Debbie's poems and artworks have appeared in leading journals worldwide. Please visit her publication archive for further information. Twitter: @Debbie_Strange; IG: @debbiemstrange

Please visit https://nationalpoetrymonth.ca/ to read poems daily in April. The work will remain online until February 28, 2024.