Tapestries of Silence

About the Book

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.

About the Author

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.