Table Of Content

S Poéiryi n Haitian Creole a guide for beginners and for translators EW. VEDRINE CREOLE PROJECT ka] Emmanuel W. Védrine Poetry in Haitian Creole a guide for beginners and translators E W. VEDRINE CREOLE PROJECT Emmanuel W. Védrine — n Poetry in Haitian Creole Copyright © 1993 by Emmanuel W. Védrine All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the author's permission. For information: ISBN 0-938534-09-2 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 93- 93725 typeset and edited by Emmanuel W. Védrine July 1993 cover picture by Tony Jean-Jacques Salamanca, Spain (1989) E W. VEDRINE CREOLE PROJECT P.O Box 10 Mattapan, MA. 02126 (U.S.A) Fax 617 296-2651 SOUP TO NUTS PUBLISHERS David Cleveland Cambridge, MA. (U.S.A) Content pg. 4 Afrika! Afrika!............. pg. 5 ESprime: OU! wstssosasan pg. 29 (LAPO kepi aks sa aaa sa sosaè pa. 6 Fènwè ak klète an 1991 pa. 30 Nan Forè Nwa............... pa. 7 FÒK S4 ANL ves ccclecsecdsacee pg. 32 Pon Nèf ak Pon Women pg. 8 Jimnastik politik.......... pg. 33 ` MWAVAJO bosenaasma evsese t è pg. 9 “Kikote Ayiti ye?........... pg. 35 Vakans ive... eee pg.10 KISA: OU YO... kou veaneyen pg. 36 Babay lekòl mwen an.... pg. 11 Kote m te fèt................ pg. 37 Bò Oseyan an................ pg. 12 Lè Ayiti te Ayiti........... pg. 38 Kat OU osestessdostieasn pg. 13 Montre m pito.............. pg. 39 Kè m ak oumenm.......... pg. 14 Manman, pa ban m tete. ANKÒ. eeeae asse kosé pg. 40 Kilè wap retounen?...... pa. 15 Pèp Ayisyen an 1990... pg. 41 Nan Pak la... eee pa. 16 Peyizan Ayisyen.......... pg. 43 Sa ou dwe konnen........ pg.17 Pitit ak manman . AGOKUUE “|leasiseo konse sissnsyon pa. 44 Poukisa se Ayisyen....... pg’ 45 Sou Sou Sour... OG. 18 Premye ak dènye.......... pg. 46 SOUVNI laviwesssySvoursayeeesees pg. 19 Kefieksyon sou onz SOPIANM I. sisie sasa da se wo zises ais pg. 47 Triyang SOUWÈ............. pg. 20 Reken yo kontinye ap fete pg 48 Mwen Sonje OU............. pg. 21 Reve 1986................... pg. 49 Ala traka pou demokrasi pg.22 SEZON WOU).sdisessvescaees pg. 50 Ayisyen ak Chinwa....... pg. 23 Si-m-10, A tases sesnsseses pg. 51 Ayisyen, yon metis...... pg. 24 Tande kri peyizan yo.... pg. 53 Ayiti nan fen Te kwè nou tout se ventyèm Ssyèk.............. pg. 25 AVISYON ko ksma pg. 54 Ayiti pou Ayisyen........ pg. 26 Trantan anprizone....... pg. 55 Dezyèm endepandans.... pg. 27 Zwazo ak prentan......... pg. 56 Divalye ak Peyi Dayiti pg. 28 Yon temwen................. pg. 57 Haitian Creole - Eglish Glossary le Aa e PE e Ge SM NAN ete k a bb kinn pg. 58 ABBIEVIAtIONS: konin zeesaotesenne sine ason poste degat says sd akesanna die pa. 75 — °° «| Preface Each poem is a part of the experience and the existence of a poet. Each poem is a lessonto all. In Poetry in Haitian Creole, Emmanuel W. Védrine shows our people to be the descendants of an inventive, bodacious and courageous People. His poetry reflects the appreciation that he carries for his homeland and, most of all, relishies the pleasures of the soul. Mr. Védrine is a poet who Writes and speaks his mind... as far as | can tell, practically always. He follows his own road, believesi n his own Style and pursues his own dreams, which are deeply rooted in the Haitian dream. He refuses to separate himself from the "common Haitian". He got his ideas for this book from personal experience while Studying abroad in Germany, Spain, and the United States as well as from the Haitian political events of our times. | want everyone to experience the Satisfaction that good poetry can produce. Work hard at reading your beautiful Haitian Creole language by feeling and understanding it. In the end, you will discover many pleasures as you progress. Good luck! Tony Jean-Jacques M.Ed EW. Védrine Poetry in Haitian Creole Afrika! Afrika! Chan m renmen anpil Byenke m pa konprann lang nan. Mwen apresye fason frè m yo chante | Se yon nostalji pou retounen kay manman m! Mwen te tande | an Ewòp Chan ke tout moun renmen tande Li- bay anvi pou retounen Kay manman m Ak van an. Afrika! Afrika! Chan frè m yo Kap vwayaje lòt kote pou al anrichi Lòt kilti Anba pyebwa yo nan PARQUE DEL RETIRO M wè se Ayiti m ye M renmen briz la, tan an ak eko a. Afrika! Afrika! Bèl chan! — | EW. Védrine Poetry in Haitian Creole Lang Kisa tout moun panse de lang? Mwen renmen tande lòt lang depi timoun Paske m te kirye de lòt kilti. Ak esperyans mwen, m wè kijan zouti sa a enpòtan. Zouti sa a konekte ak grenn je m Pou m ka kominike ak antouraj mwen. Poukisa m pat pale tout lang sou latè Pou m te ka kominike ak linivè? Pou mwen, pa gen lang ki pi bèl pase lòt Paske nou chak pale lang pa nou. Se yon zouti ki gen menm itilite Kèlkeswa kote | fabrike. EW. Védrine Poetry in Haitian Creole Nan Forè Nwa Mwen te ale la Pou wè sak gen la Pou medite sou lanati Yon vwayaj ke m pat prepare. Yon ete Mwen pa ka bliye. Se te yon rèv pou mwen Pou wè m nan bwa sa yo Yon kote FREIBURG Kote anyen pa bouje Kote sa a moun pa pale Souvni yon ti nèg nwa Nan Forè Nwa. S T EW. Védrine Poetry in Haitian Creole Pon Nèf ak Pon Women, Mwen wè m ant Pon Nèf Ak Pon Women Kote ki trè womantik Nan vil SALAMANCA Mwen ta renmen la Chak fwa; Se toujou yon rèv pou mwen. Lè m la, m wè zwazo Kap vole lwen Byen lwen TORMES Kote m ap bwè yon fwa ankò Ant Pon Nèf Ak Pon Women