No Questions Asked by Armand Garnet Ruffo

This was a truly powerful poem about oppression. Ruffo describes it as a slow and illusive process. The silencing of voices goes undetected. He says it’s like losing your tongue because you lose your ability to speak or communicate. You don't notice it because you still have other uses for the tongue, like eating or rinsing. However, words no longer have meaning when you’re not being heard. In time, you give up and stop speaking all together. You lose yourself, your voice, your identity. Things are happening all around you that may require your attention but there’s no point in trying anymore. There’s a feeling of disconnect and disrespect that keep you silent. In the end even your silence goes unquestioned because no one really cares.

Comments

  1. AdelaNovember 24, 2018 at 6:33 PM

    It is difficult to learn how to speak two different languages when you are not exposed to them simultaneously. A lot of young students tend to lose their primary language because they still in the process of learning. They may have more opportunities if they are strong in one language proficiency rather than when they hardly know the basics of one language, but the problem arises when they start losing their identity and become silent.

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  2. ramsesNovember 24, 2018 at 8:22 PM

    Armand Garnet Ruffo describes the gradual process for being bilingual, and how people feel when they lose their native language and acquire a new language. He also makes us to realize that learning different languages has a period of silence that makes potential bilinguals empty.

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  3. AnonymousNovember 25, 2018 at 10:39 AM

    This is a very powerful poem and definitely heart wrenching! The act of silence is a painful act that many students do to avoid embarrassment and humiliation. I wonder to myself why can't teachers see students hiding? It is a safety zone that has its price. This silence affects academic progress, self confidence and leaves students feeling isolated.

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