Felix Morisseau-Leroy (3)
Sydney Noel (3)
Michel-Ange Hyppolite (1)
Claude Innocent (1)
Frank Etienne (1)
Jean Dorcely Dede (1)
Jean Claude Martineau (1)
Recent Posts Nou Pase Kay Etranje
Nan Dezafi/Cockfight Marathon
Vyewo/Viejo
Zwing/Bits
Powèm Ayisyen/Haitian Poems
Nou pase kay etranjeWe go up a foreigner's stepsNou jwenn pitit nouAnd find our childrenAp bale pa pòtSweeping his floorNou chita nan salon etranjeWe pass through a foreigner's houseNou wè table nouAnd find our paintingsKwoke sou miOn his wallNou tande mizik nou ap sot nan gagann yoWe hear our music coming from his gulletN-antre nan kizin etranjeWe enter a foreigner's kitchenNou jwenn toutrèl nouAnd find our doveAp kwit nan chodyè yoIn his cooking potYo ta chode toutrèl lavi-nHe's trying to cook our bird aliveYo ta toufe zwezo bèlte-nHe's trying to smother our wild doveMen gen moun ki paseSomeone's lifting the lidChodyè -a dekouvri The dove's escapingToutrèl vole l-aleThe dove's escapingSou dife a-l kiteLeaving on the fireYon chodyè ki vid k-ap bouleAn empty pot that is burning.
Posted by hougansydney.com. Posted In : Boadiba Nan Dezafi/Cockfight Marathon
Yo rache koupe lang dyòl alèlè They tear out Alele's tongue outPawòl kloure nan gòj nouNail speech to our throatsLan dòmi long, youn lame rat mòde soufleAlong the length of sleep, an army of rats blows and bitesZòtèy nou, zòrèy nou, dwèt nou, po bouch nouOur toes, our ears, our fingers our lips.Tèt mò griyen dan dèyè pòtDeath's head grins behind the door.Yo moulen-kraze- zo nou miyèt mosoThey grind our bones into bitsYo krache lan menThey spit in our handsKonbe rezon plamen ... Continue reading...
Posted by hougansydney.com. Posted In : Frank Etienne Vyewo/Viejo
Nan mitan yon chan kann bò IgweyIn the middle of a cane field near Higuey An DominikaniIn the Dominican RepublicDe Ayisyen chita nan yon bateyTwo Haitians are sittingPye atè, dotouniBarefooted, their back nackedYoun ape pale, youn ape kouteOne's talking, one's listeningYo pa fè briThey're not making any noiseVan nan kann nan sèlman ki tandeThe wind through the cane is the only thing hearingSa y-ape diWhat they're sayingVyewo, ou k-prale fè tè Ayiti,Viejo as you're going to farm in Haiti... Continue reading...
Posted by hougansydney.com. Posted In : Jean Claude Martineau Zwing/Bits
Pou yon ti moso demokrasiFor a piece of democracyWachintonn fè Ayiti filalangWashington is teasing HaitiAla Wachintonn chich papa!How stingy Washington is, papa!Konsèy elektoral malatyongMalathion's electoral councilKonsèy elektoral zanmitayNepotism's electoral councilKonsèy elektoral pwovizwaProvisional electoral councilPou gouvènman pwovizwaFor a provisional governmentNan youn peyiIn a countryKote pa gen jistisWhere there's no JustieKriminèl se sèl waOnly the criminal is kingPa gen m... Continue reading...
Posted by hougansydney.com. Posted In : Jean Dorcely Dede Ni Jodi, ni Ayè
Tout Vi nou,all our livesFouchèt san danfork without teethTout vi nouAll our livesAk do Kiyèthe backs of spoonsNi jodi, Ni ayèboth today and yesterdayYon peyi ki fè eskalA country in transitSou tout lanmè eskandalover all the sea's roaring,Yon peyi lamizè eskaladea land of poverty escalatingtribò ba bòon all sides,Yon peyi chak manti men longèA land where every lie is t h is big...Ak lavi an danje de mòwith life in danger of deathYon peyi fòskoteA sidewindling landKote tout zegwi m... Continue reading...
Posted by hougansydney.com. Posted In : Georges Castera Aba tout Kandida
Mwen di aba tout kandidaI say Down with all candidatesAba tout Kandida AlaprezidansDown with all presidential candidatesMwen rele aba aba eleksyonI shout Down with Down with electionsEkri sou tout mi lavil laWrite all over my townAba eleksyon foutDown with the god-damned electionsEkri ak lakrè sou tout mi griWrite with chalk all over the grey wallsEkri ak chabon sou tout mi blanchAnd with charcoal all over the whites wallsAba tout kandidaDown with all candidatesAba tout eleksyonDown with all... Continue reading...
Posted by hougansydney.com. Posted In : Felix Morisseau-Leroy Fanm
Fanm pote laviWoman carry lifepiwo pase fetay solèyhigher than beams of sunlightNan voye wòch monteIn a stone throw's risingBwote dlo desannAnd bringing water downNan lakou plètilAt the courtyard of "yes,sir"Fanm leve nechèl wotè vanWomen raise a ladder high as the windK'ap bale wouzeSweeping the dews.Nan peyi malfiniIn the land of hawksFanm charye douvan jou-lWomen transport day breakSou tèt kamyon bwatAtop the wooden backs of trucksmadan sara fè ovètayMarket women doing overtime pou... Continue reading...
Posted by hougansydney.com. Posted In : Michel-Ange Hyppolite Mwen se Ayisyen
Mwen se AyisyenI am HaitianPaske nan peyi mwenBecause in my countryGenyen yon Kalfou There is a crossroadYo rele Kat ChimenThey call Four PathsMwen se AyisyenI am HaitianPaske nan peyi mwenBecause in my countryGen yon Zwazo yo releThere is a bird they calledWanga NègèsThe niggers' magicMwen se AyisyenI am HaitianPaske nan peyi mwenBecause in my countryLang zansèt yoThe ancestors' languageSe Kreyòl li releIs called CreoleMwen se Ayisyen I am HaitianPaske nan tan lontanBecause in ancient t... Continue reading...
Posted by hougansydney.com. Posted In : Sydney Noel Minwi
Minwi sonnenIt strikes midnightLè a rive pou m'sotiIt is time for me to go outPaske depi m'pitibecause since I was littleYo pa vle m'soti lè li fè brenThey did not want me to go out when it's darkAswè aTonightMwen vle rankontre ak Mèt MinwiI want to meet with Midnight's MasterMwen vle chita paleI want to sit and talkAk tout lougarouWith all the werewolves Manman'm diMy mother saysSe nèg vanyanIt's brave menNèg ki gen senk bouton nan pantalonMen with five buttons in their pantsKi ka sot... Continue reading...
Posted by hougansydney.com. Posted In : Sydney Noel Kreyòl
KreyòlCreoleAla bèl lang se KreyòlWhat a beautiful language is Creole!Se moun ki gen bon djòl ki pale KreyòlIt is those with good taste who speak CreoleKreyòlCreoleSe pa tout moun ki pale KreyòlIt is not everyone who speaks CreoleSe moun ki pase anpil mizèIt is those who have been through miseriesnan men blan anba esklavajAt the hand of the white man through slaveryKi pale KreyòlWho speaks CreoleKreyòlCreoleKreyòl se yon istwaCreole is a historyYon brasay, yon ti kras nan chakA sti... Continue reading...
Posted by hougansydney.com. Posted In : Sydney Noel Older posts »