Mute by Raymond Luczak

Mute Reviews

• 
  J.M.

  Mute is a collection of 29 poems which convey the poet’s own experience of being a deaf gay man. Many of the poems deal with specific lovers the poet has known and lost, but the poems I enjoyed the most were those that gave me insight into living a life of perpetual silence. As a hearing individual, I was fascinated to catch a glimpse of what it is like to speak only through hand signals and body language, and to catch none of the inflection or innuendos conveyed in traditional speech.
  
  My favorite poem in the collection was the first one, “How to Fall for a Deaf Man.” As the title suggests, the poem instructs the reader how to approach a deaf man for the first time, what to do (or not do) to attract his attention, and how to enter into a relationship with him when his deafness may seem daunting. The poem is very realistic, and leaves the reader a little more comfortable with the idea of speaking to someone who is deaf because it calls out prejudices and practices a hearing person may not realize are inherent in his thoughts:
  
  “Do not ask him the sign for FUCK.
  He is tired of showing how. He wants
  sincere attempts to talk.
  Do not ask him to tutor you for free.
  He is not a teacher. He’s tired of teaching.
  
  ***
  
  Try not to be bothered by his wary eyes.
  You are just another one who says
  he wants to learn, but never gets around to it.
  
  Do not be startled by how
  much eye contact he requires.
  Do not be afraid of his face.”
  
  While this is obviously a very personal poem, stemming from years of frustration over what the poet has come to expect from first meetings, most of the other poems in the collection are even more intimate. They deal with relationships the poet has been in, loves lost over time, or regrets and mournings for lovers no longer around. The poem, “Night Stroll in Washington, DC” showcases this intimacy, giving us a momentary glimpse into the lives of former lovers who meet after their relationship has cooled:
  
  “I moved away with not a good-bye.
  But this city keeps calling me back.
  
  ***
  
  I no longer see your beaten face,
  or the man whose body I stared at.
  
  You’ve become a dull ache in my bones.
  Years now pass like nights.”
  
  Some of the poems are simply love poems, written as if for a current lover. Mr. Luzcak’s way with words is magical, weaving together images that bring the poetry alive to the reader. One example is in “The Loom,” which describes a tender scene of lovemaking:
  
  “Your thick legs, warm,
  braid in and out of mine
  as our hands treadle words. Our bed
  is a loom, our bodies the warp and woof”
  
  I greatly enjoyed reading Mute. The poems were evocative and thought-provoking, and left me with a greater empathy for those who are deaf. I loved the way Mr. Luzcak took everyday moments of his life that would be extraordinary to the hearing reader—for example sign language, which has become such an integral part of who he is—and made those elements commonplace and natural through the flow of his words. After reading this, I am not only interested in uncovering the poet’s other collections, but also want to explore his other writing as well. These poems took me for a walk in his shoes, and I believe I’m a better person after the journey.
• 
  Kevin Key

  It’s a small book. I could have finished it in a quick sitting, but I could not do that because the poems hit me so hard and deeply I had to stop and collect myself after each poem. The poems drew me into the world I have only conjectured about, and handed me the honor of an inside look. Luczak has bravely opened his heart to the reader in these poems, and it is an enlightening, vulnerable and triumphant gift.
  
  I can’t wait to read every word Luczak has written.
• 
  James

  A deft, moving, versatile tribute to the poet's mentors, professors, and friends. Unpretentious and unaffected, MUTE contains an array of forms, and plays with the notions of silence, invisibility, and absence. This slim volume sheds light on the real lives of everyday gay culture.
• 
  Isaiah Vianese

  In this compelling and often lovely poetry collection, Raymond Luczak explores the romantic experiences of a deaf gay speaker. Much of the book is about how we communicate our love and lust--an inherently difficult challenge. The speaker's deafness adds another element to this communication that can present further challenges, but there are great moments of love, beauty, and intimacy too. There's lots of great work here; a strong recommend.
• 
  Steven

  5 stars specifically for “HOW TO FALL FOR A DEAF MAN” though!
• 
  Thomas

  wonderful, comforting verse that flows like water from Luczak's mind to docile page into the hands and eyes of the reader. Easily my favourite and most relateable of Luczak's poetry books (I own all of them: St. Michael's Fall, This Way to the Acorns, Mute, How to Kill Poetry, and Road Work Ahead). Most is mildly erotic; all is wonderfully refreshing and comforting. Was the final push out of my closet many years ago. Be warned, Mute has strong overtones of loneliness. Despite this, warmth permeates throughout and Luczak's masterful control of language is unparalleled. Having read and watched many Deaf poets, I think there are few living Deaf artists who so seamlessly invite readers—knowing and unknowing—into the bilingual treasure that is the Deaf brain as well as Mr. Luczak does. I look forward to reading many more books by him. I have bought many copies of this book. Its small and intimate size makes it ideal to carry around and for quiet reading on trains, not to mention to give away as gifts.
• 
  Karen

  This small volume of twenty-nine poems captures various aspects of the deaf gay experience. Luczak--playwright, poet, and author (Men With Their Hands)--deftly captures poignant longing, frustrating attempts at communication, and difficulties inherent in associating with hearing men. In contrast, his opening poem, "How to Fall for a Deaf Man," is a touching primer in how to connect. Some poems memorialize friends lost to AIDS, while others reconfigure memories from childhood or early adulthood. A short piece, "The Loom," captures intimacy with a deaf (or an ASL-savvy hearing) lover:
  
  Your thick legs, warm,
  braid in and out of mine
  as our hands treadle words. Our bed
  is a loom, our bodies the warp and woof
  in ever-changing patterns,
  kisses wrapping loose strands
  like language weaving
  inside our hands
  deftly.
  
  And although the poems are obviously the crux of the book, the evocative cover provides a fitting accompaniment.
• 
  Diana

  From his poem, Night Stroll in Washington, DC: "You've become a dull ache in my bones/Years now pass like nights." Aaaah! Gorgeous. Imagine only being able to communicate with your hands. Luczak's style is all about successfully making surprising connections with language. This is a tiny book about big subjects: silence, frustration, misunderstandings, loss, absence but more than anything, it's about love. A book I will certainly return to again and again.