Sign Me Up
Dela has a friend who cannot hear.
They talk with their hands.
They hear with their eyes.
Dela has a friend who cannot see.
She reads with her fingers from books with dots that mean letters and words.
If you know and I know,
anything can mean yes or no —
a nod or shake of the head,
a wink of the eye,
a wave of a flag.
If you know and I know,
we can talk lots of ways —
one if by land and two if by sea,
flashes of light,
tap, tap, tap,
dot dash dot dash dot.
There are signs that everybody knows —
thumbs up for good
thumbs down for bad
fingers make an “O” for “Okay;”
the sign for “safe” and the sign of “out.”
Red means stop
and green means go
if you know and I know.
Kisses and hugs are signs of love.
Xs and Os are signs of kisses and hugs.
Signs can be signs of signs.
Dela and her dog George talk with signs —
She waves her arm this way and that.
He sits, he barks, he rolls over.
George nudges her leg and looks up at her
and Dela knows he wants to go out.
She taught him and he taught her
and they both agree.
Baby brother cries and laughs
and Mommy knows
baby’s hungry, baby’s wet, baby’s happy.
Baby teaches Mommy signs.
Mommy’s good at learning baby’s signs.
Mommy hugs, Mommy sings.
Baby knows she’s safe, knows she’s loved.
Baby knows lots and lots
long before baby knows words.
