Poetry at Sangam
Poetry at Sangam showcases poetry in English and translations as well as essays on poetics and news of new releases.
ZILE INIVÈSÈL
Ou vle banm egzeyat?
Sejou mwen ap fini, kè brize,
zamitye konstwi kanmenm,
yon vant pa ase gwo pou gade
tras tout mèvèy manje Ayiti
te nouri m. Solèy fò
maten an men ak van fò
ki netwaye kò epi lespri.
Pòt ouvri, simityè plen
souvni men toujou kont
retou tout tan janm mwen
ka mache e menm aprè
sou chèz a woulèt
tankou tou lòt Ayisyen
nan vòl Myami Pòtoprens.
Chant zile pi fò kò yo.
Papa mwen te mouri
nan lòt bò. Pou m lòt bò
ide ansyen testaman.
Tout moun se moun.
Tout zile se Ayiti.
UNIVERSAL ISLAND
Will you give me a discharge?
My stay will end, heart broken,
friendships built even so,
belly not big enough to keep
all the marvelous food with
which Haiti has nourished me.
Strong sun this morning,
wind up to sweep body
and spirit. Pot open, cemetery
full of memories but always
the story of the return
as long as I can walk
and even afterwards
in a wheelchair
like so many other Haitians
on the flight from Miami
to Port Au Prince. The island
song is stronger than me.
My father died
on the other side. The other
side for me is an idea
from the Old Testament.
Everybody is somebody.
Every island is Haiti.