Tapestries of Silence:

By Howard R. Busby

This book of poetry—written by a retired university professor who was deafened during childhood—reveals the challenges, defeats, and triumphs of living in a world that often ignores those who live and struggle in silence and who are cut off from access to communication and information. Filled with words of longing, poignancy, resiliency, spirituality, and love, the author uses a tapestry as a metaphor to illustrate how all those challenges have come to be woven into one whole fabric of a meaningful life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728324081

Howard R. Busby

Howard R Busby, PhD, is a retired professor of counseling at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. He was born in Mobile, Alabama and attended the Alabama School for the Deaf, and transferred at age 10 to the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, from which he graduated in 1954, then attended Gallaudet University (then Gallaudet College) for three years before dropping out to pursue various occupations such as truck driver, pipefitter, commercial baker, and draftsman. He returned to school at Southern Illinois University to secure a bachelor’s in secondary education with specialization in history. He further acquired a master’s in counseling from the University of Kansas, then picked up a master’s degree in special education administration at California State University – Northridge. Later, he received a doctorate in school psychology and counseling from the University of Arizona. Dr. Busby has held the following positions in a long career in education: elementary and high school teacher, principal of high school, professor of teacher education, assistant dean, dean, and vice-president of student affairs at the University level. He ended his career as a full professor of counseling, after which he retired to Arizona where he continued to be active as a pro-bono consultant at social services programs for the deaf and hard of hearing. He lives in Peoria, AZ where he continues to pursue his life long love of writing poetry.

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Copyright © 2019 Howard R. Busby. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/20/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-2409-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-2408-1 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Dedicated to my children: Constance, Cynthia

Candace, and Benjamin

A poem came with you at your birth.

Contents

1.   Sonnet to Elaine

2.   Ode to a Goddess

3.   Crowheart Butte

4.   Song of Apollo

5.   Ode to John Keats

6.   Reminiscences

7.   To the Evening Star

8.   Like Early Morning Dew

9.   Love is a Painter

10.   Portrait of You

11.   Go Lovely Rose

12.   Neither Winds of Morn

13.   A Summer Dream

14.   A Rose

15.   The Finger Painter

16.   The Music of Hands

17.   Music

18.   The Brightest Sun

19.   Like the Sun

20.   My Hands

21.   Mesquite

22.   Leaf

23.   The Day of Creation

24.   Pity

25.   Farewell

26.   Sweet Life, Adieu

27.   Then the Rain Came

28.   Journey into End

29.   Once as a Child

30.   Beach Silence

31.   Sonnet 56

32.   The Harlequin Clown

33.   Déjà Vu

34.   In the Land of the Ears

35.   Air Paintings

36.   On Looking into a Pool of Water

37.   Walk to Emmaus

38.   Tapestry of My Birth

39.   You, II

40.   Dream

41.   Dreams of Love

42.   The Hole in the Flute

43.   A Bit of the Sun

44.   Finger Tapestry

45.   Remnants of Love

46.   The Quivering Heart

47.   Shadow

48.   Circles of Light

49.   Ampersand

50.   Creative Fire

51.   Gaia

52.   Return for Repairs

53.   Resurrection

54.   Defying the Night

55.   Moth

56.   Power Purveyors

57.   Kindness

58.   The Soul of the Cheetah

59.   At a Cemetery

60.   Father Hunger

61.   Talking Stick

62.   Unshelled

63.   The Shoe Scuff on the Floor

64.   Peace Walk

65.   To be Pure of Heart

66.   Ode to Walls

67.   The Trimmer

68.   Further Journey

69.   Connections

70.   Awakening

71.   No Escape

72.   End of the Monsoon

73.   Thunderstorm Solstice

74.   Going Home Again

75.   End of the Year

Sonnet to Elaine

I give you the poem of my soul writ in the sky.

-Elaine

My soul, I would you were free of this chain

that binds you in fleeting mortal desire,

each link a strong forge of love entire

dipped in the cup of unkindness