Haiti!
My heart breaks for you
who suffer
misery and shameless betrayal
by lady liberty-
The golden goddess
who ignores your pain

She turns off tragedy
by remote control—
Dulled by layers of luxury
her heart feeds on greed
gathered like slime
on a hollow copper shrine

Heedless of heartbreak
she pretends you’re not there
at her door slammed shut

“We have enough blacks already!”
She sighs
as she ships you back
to a teeming shanty town
with stitches of cloth
clinging to your bony back
your naked flank

Listen!
Écoutez!
Listen!
to the shipwrecked
huddled in shattered tombs
sinking in their tears

Toussant!*
Where are you?
Anba gwo!**
King Christophe!***
Where are you?
Anba gwo!

Christ!
Where are you?
Anba gwo!

*Toussaint Louveture, father of Haitian Independence
** A Creole saying, “Under the heel of the rich and powerful
***A leader in Haitian war of independence and self-proclaimed king of Haiti