"I come from a place where breath, eyes, and memory are one,
a place from which you carry your past like the hair on your head."
—from Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat

Facilitation Guide [in Kreyòl]

Words, images, and music often inspire us to reflect; to enter into our minds, memories, and emotions in a way that helps us understand and express what we so often let go unsaid. We include a poem below as a prompt to help you or your community enter into a process of personal or collective reflection. We suggest you might read the poem aloud or choose your own words to read aloud. After the first reading, pause in silence, and then read them again. Take a moment to process your thoughts. You can use the following as a guide:

Identify

• What are the words of the poem trying to express?
• How do I react to the poem?

Explore

• Are there specific words used that make me feel something?
• What is the emotion that I feel?
• What memories do these emotions and words evoke?

Express

• Have I shared these feelings, emotions, or memories with anyone before?
• What words or images would I use to express these feelings, emotions, or memories?

Poem by Nadia Herman Colburn
from Poets for Haiti: An Anthology of Poetry and Art
translated into Kreyòl by Marilene Phipps-Kettlewell

Love Song

The world that is alone in its beauty

with no consolation—

the black walnut tree
the double-oleander

the goats, always-hungry—

Who hasn’t been seduced?

Who is the wonderful me of happiness?

Of forgetfulness,
of horror,
that must be a part.

As if “all”
were a word in another language.

Now no one speaks.

Chanson Damou

La tè a ki bèl tout bon men nan fason pal sèlman

ki san konsolasyon—

pye nwa kajou a
pye lorye ròz lan

kabrit yo, ki grangou tout tan—

Ki lès moun ki pa janm santi kè w ap bat pou yo?

Sak gen kè kontan an dedan mwen an, ki moun li ye?

Abandon,
mizè,
yo ladan tou.

Se kòm si lè w di "yo tout"
se te pawòl nan lòt langaj.

Kounyea tout bouch pe.