by Katherine Gotthardt

Poetry. The word often evokes images of lectures on mysterious symbolism, subtextual themes, schools of thought, literary criticism and theory. Or maybe it brings to mind beatniks in coffeeshops snapping fingers at something only they can understand. While these traditions have helped build a culture around poetry, they have also constructed barriers among the disadvantaged and marginalized, including those who are neurodiverse or have cognitive and developmental disabilities that impact language. We might think poetry is accessible to all, but still too often, mainstream poetry sends the message that for people living with language impairment, poetry is out of reach because if words cannot be mastered, good poetry cannot be produced. This “poetry is not for everyone” mentality has limited the reach of an important literary art and has denied entire populations the joy of using words artistically as a form of expression and meaning-making. And it has denied all of us the opportunity to learn from those who experience the world in different ways. If we want poetry to survive and thrive, it must be made available to everyone, including those whose language skills are atypical and adaptive. Are you willing to release poetry’s full power by making it accessible to everyone? Here’s where to begin.

Check your assumptions about poetry’s place

Where do you believe poetry belongs? In the traditional classroom? In the library or in books? In coffeehouses or ornate living rooms? Or does it belong everywhere?

As an oral and written tradition, since the beginning of human history, poetry has been created and shared in venues, environments and societies so myriad, they cannot be catalogued. From castles to village streets to bedrooms and bathroom walls, poetry has lived a wild life. It has been blasted on stereo and has sat quietly in private notebooks waiting to be discovered. Yet, too many still seek to contain it, as if doing so will give them power over a sacred domain. They keep it among their peers, away from the more vulnerable, away from those who are far too different or who exist on the fringes of society. But poetry belongs to no one. And when we act as if it does, we deny people who could benefit from it access to healing, powerful art that can help make connections through language, no matter what that might look or sound like.

For people with cognitive and developmental disabilities or for people who are neurodiverse, the classroom or coffeehouse scene doesn’t always work. And language often comes through assistive devices, scribes and technology designed to help them communicate with a speaking/writing world. But there are silent biases among mainstream poets, an underlying belief that using adaptive technology and support to write poetry is somehow “cheating” and has no place in the larger poetic community. This belief does poetry – and people – a disservice, limiting the form and reach of powerful poetic messages.

Are you trying to contain poetry? Are you promoting a culture of exclusivity? Are your beliefs about where poetry belongs limiting poetry’s and people’s progress?

Check your assumptions about disabilities  

What do you believe about people with cognitive, developmental, learning or other disabilities? Do you think there is a limit to what they can achieve? If so, what is that limit based on? Someone’s definition of “normal” or “healthy”? What if someone were to limit you in the same way, turning assumptions into how they treat you? (Pssst….it has probably happened before. Not a good feeling, is it?)

It can be easy to dismiss potential, especially when medicine and society describe disability as deficit. Teachers, parents and caregivers are told to make allowances for cognitive differences and try to help those with disabilities achieve as much as possible within the norm. But people struggling with language-as-usual struggle with the norm. The norm presents a false ceiling, and people with disabilities are kept within the confines of limiting expectations. Here’s a different way to think about it: People with disabilities that affect language are actually above the norm. They are creative thinkers and communicators who have adapted in ways mainstream learners and writers cannot fully comprehend. And their poetry will reflect their unique experience and perspective.

Are you open to different experiences and perspective? Will you leave your assumptions behind and encourage people with disabilities to show you the world through the lens of their poetry?

Check your resources

Not everyone who writes poetry or shares poetry is comfortable working with people who have disabilities, especially disabilities that limit the kind of communication they are accustomed to. But if we want to make poetry more inclusive, we must educate ourselves about learning, language and communication differences. We must find ways to draw in those who need an invitation and a safe environment where they can practice the literary arts. We must be willing to ask around and find people who can teach us to be more open and accessible as artists and not be afraid to say, “I don’t understand, but I want to.” When we go outside our comfort zone to include those with disabilities affecting language and invite them to write poetry, we are making space for everyone to grow and for poetry in all its magical forms to be shared and cherished.

Are you ready to do the research? Are you ready to find people who can help you include poets with disabilities? What plan will you put in place to make it happen?

The future of poetry depends on our willingness to make it accessible to everyone, through teaching, reading and writing. Let’s be sure it includes people with disabilities.

Katherine Gotthardt, M.Ed., was winner of the 2021 PW Perspective and Business Crossing Network DMV Best Business award in the category of Author. A creative advocate, she has been writing, editing and teaching for more than 20 years and marketing professionally for more than 15. As one of SPARC’s volunteer presenters, she provides no-cost workshops and books to help diverse and underserved groups learn to enjoy and write poetry. With 11 books to her name, one an Amazon bestselling new release and another a Nonfiction Writers Association Silver Award winner, she pens poetry, children’s books and prose from her home in Prince William County. In her day job, she serves as a marketing writer and publication specialist for a large government contracting firm that also frequently sponsors her creative endeavors. She uses proceeds from book sales to benefit community give-back initiatives. Learn more at www.katherinegotthardt.com.