Open Gate: An Anthology of Haitian Creole Poetry
Open Gate is the first bilingual volume of Haitian Creole poetry published in English. Seven years in the making, this anthology is the result of the dedication of its editors and translators, Paul Laraque, Jack Hirschman and the Haitian poet Boadiba, as well as Max Manigat, one of the first teachers of Creole on the university level who was an invaluable advisor.\ The editors focus on contemporary Creole poetry that reflects the struggle for human rights in Haiti. The book is divided into...
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Open Gate is the first bilingual volume of Haitian Creole poetry published in English. Seven years in the making, this anthology is the result of the dedication of its editors and translators, Paul Laraque, Jack Hirschman and the Haitian poet Boadiba, as well as Max Manigat, one of the first teachers of Creole on the university level who was an invaluable advisor.The editors focus on contemporary Creole poetry that reflects the struggle for human rights in Haiti. The book is divided into three sections: Pioneers of Modern Haitian Creole poetry, beginning with the founder of modern Haitian Creole literature, Felix Morisseu-Leroy (19131998); the flowering of Haitian poetry as represented by the literary movement, "Society of Butterflies," some of whose members were jailed or exiled by the bloody Duvalier dictatorship; and the New Generation featuring primrily those poets in the Diaspora whose work has been published in the last 15 years.We Pass Through A Foreigner's HouseWe go up a foreigner's stepsAnd find our childrenSweeping his floorWe pass through a foreigner's houseAnd find our paintingsOn his wallWe hear our music coming from his gulletWe enter a foreigner's kitchenAnd find our doveIn his cooking potHe's trying to cook our bird aliveHe's trying to smother our wild doveSomeone's lifting the lidThe dove's escapingLeaving on the fireAn empty potThat's burning.The poet Paul Laraque was born in Haiti in 1920. At present Laraque devotes his time to his writing and to his work as Secretary of the Association of Haitian Writers Abroad.Jack Hirschman authoredmore than 25 translations of poetry from 8 languages. He lives in San Francisco.Publishers WeeklyThe first such collection available in English, Open Gate: An Anthology of Haitian Creole Poetry begins with works from the grandfather of Creole literature, Felix Morisseau-Leroy, and rounds out with today's poets in diaspora. Edited by Paul Laraque and Jack Hirschman, the collection addresses the poverty, violence and political struggle that characterize Haitian history, but there are also poems celebrating love or nature or simply the quotidian. As George Castera writes in "Blood," "Let's go see the blood flow,/ darling./ For once in a lifetime,/ it's not people's blood spilling,/ for once in the street/ it's not animal's blood flowing,/ let's go see the blood flow,/ darling:/ the sun is setting." Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
IntroductionA Note on the TranslationsDedicationDedicatory PoemShooshoon3Zombies5Down With All Candidates7Sometimes I'm Not Myself9Testament11What Did They Think They Did?13The Poor Man's Life17Rainbow21My Broad Back23Exile Is Stale Bread25Mardi gras27Tonton Macoutes Steal Dreams29I Have a Comrade31Cemetery Gate33Zilch Movement35Both Yesterday and Today37Blood41A 16-Year-Old Girl Who's Standing43Singing Queen, Where Are You?45I'm Dreaming of Your Body All Nude47A Clay Pot Broken49Haiti Tomorrow51Hooker53Viejo57Women of My Country63Zombie67They're Leaving With a Bridle Round the Neck71Woman75Speech79Caribbean Islands81Wongol83Liberty87Wongol Poem91I'm Writing a Poem97Changes99Trouble105Bits107A Philosophy113Dream115Snowcone Vendor119Text XXX125Hatching Thunder129Paper 8133Paper 18135Paper 33137Paper 43139from Cockfight Marathon143Tom-tom Talk147They Say149Tenebrae151Permit153Flame155Georgina159I'm Rooted161Result of an Observation163Little Love Kiss165If You Want167The Walls of Bois-de-Chene Shacks169The Poet171Horizon of Gunbutts173Refugees175Army of Draculas177Zombies Arise179Zaps of Zombifying Powder183Strokes of an Adult's Pencil187Our Destiny189It Makes Me Sad191My Mother Tongue193What Have We Done195Tomorrow's Hope199Spring203Slippery Ground207Autozobop211We Pass Through a Foreigner's House215Madam President217Coumbite221How?223Go There227Biographies228
\ Publishers WeeklyThe first such collection available in English, Open Gate: An Anthology of Haitian Creole Poetry begins with works from the grandfather of Creole literature, Felix Morisseau-Leroy, and rounds out with today's poets in diaspora. Edited by Paul Laraque and Jack Hirschman, the collection addresses the poverty, violence and political struggle that characterize Haitian history, but there are also poems celebrating love or nature or simply the quotidian. As George Castera writes in "Blood," "Let's go see the blood flow,/ darling./ For once in a lifetime,/ it's not people's blood spilling,/ for once in the street/ it's not animal's blood flowing,/ let's go see the blood flow,/ darling:/ the sun is setting." Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.\ \
