Prudy Sutherland
Posted in essay on November 30th, 2007Prudy Sutherland lived in the second half of the 20th century on the eastern coast of the United States in upstate New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Florida. Prudy was the youngest daughter of Arthur and Suzanne Sutherland, born at the end of WWII. She was raised mostly in Massachusetts.
Prudy was an intellectual who identified with the underdog. She had a keen sense of humor, which was wonderful, though challenging because she lived with a condition known as cerebral palsy which in her case made it difficult for her to speak clearly. Often she would have to say her funny statements three or more times before we’d understand what she was laughing about.
Prudy was an activist for the rights of those living with handicaps. She published a number of articles on the topic, including one in the New York City based Village Voice.
Prudy was a writer, and an artist - to the extent that one can do art with an IBM electric typewriter - which she did. Primarily Prudy was a poet, though she also wrote short stories. The internet was not so active or popular during her time or else she would probably have had her own blog. She did not get a website before she died. In honor of her life, as her neice, the daughter of one of her brothers, I am establishing this website to make her work public and accessible. Prudy’s only sister will also help with preparing her bio and with additional material.
It is particularly inspiring to read the creativity, depth and humor that this woman offered the world, living her whole life as she did, sitting in a wheel chair, having all of her needs provided for by her caregivers. Prudy could talk, and push with her feet, and type with a custom designed hat (helmut) that initially held a pencil with the eraser pointed out - so she could hit the keys on her typewriter.
We all can find inspiration from her work, and Prudy hoped that would be the case.
Her work will be made available over the months to come, some on this site, and more hopefully through book collections of her poetry and essays.
Copyright 2008 for all content on www.prudysutherland.com. All rights reserved.