-I-

It's been fifty-five years since I haven't lived in Haiti, but it still remains dear
Half a century since Tonton Sam welcomed me to the cold country
I was looking really sharp in a gray suit when I got off Pan Am at MIA (Miami International Airport)
For acrobatics they made me do in Haiti: there are always errors in birth certificate
Going back and forth to the National Archives of Haiti, I remember: a bunch of secretaries piling up, filing their nails,
a list of lawyers suggested to you to hire in order to correct errors they’ve invented in your name, techniques to make money…
Hmm! Haitian people are in trouble!
At least you are shown that you are human in the White Country*.
My mother was happy to go back to USA with the two youngest children: a boy and a girl.

-II-

The size of the yellow envelope for your X-ray is so big that you would think it’s a large diploma earned for your university studies.
When one finally gets it in Haiti, everyone will know that person is going away.
However, there are smart people who are able to read nosy people’ mind.
I hid mine somewhere so that no one would mind.
The day I was leaving for the USA, I had a beautiful smile, dressed up with my nice gray suit.
All my playmates were asking me, “Where are you going, looking so sharp?”.
"New York!", I answered. “Oh, oh” everyone was amazed! They were left speechless.

"We were just playing yesterday." Surprise! Everyone astonished.

-III-

All Haitians say they’re going to New York when coming to the United States.
When they are first leaving Haiti, they think of New York as a country.
They forget it's a big city in the United States, where the world comes together to have a bite of the Big Apple.
Haiti always carries the name “my Mother” in my birth certificate of world history.
Haiti will always remain my Mother no matter where I am
How could I forget the land where my umbilical cord has been buried?
My body is always connected to Haiti.
Yes, my vivid memory always reminds me of that whether I am in North America, South America, Central America, in the Caribbean, in Europe…
Haiti still carries the title my Mother in the Birth Certificate of my world history.
Sis Haiti will always remain my Mother, no matter where I am or what I may become.

-IV-

Am I really happy because I'm not physically at my mother's home after fifty years?
Can a child forget the mother who gave birth to him, breastfed him, and taught him to speak?
Can a child forget about his mother no matter what she becomes?
Wouldn't a child dream of all the good things for the mother who gave birth to him?
Doesn't this child remember his brothers and sisters who are still in misery and in slavery?
Most of these children have only one dream: “leaving Haiti, going to another country some day!”

-V-

Alas! When will the day of change come?
When will the day come when others say “onè”* at Haiti's door, and for development to respond “respè” *!
When will the day come for agriculture to spread out in all Haiti’s geographical departments and communes?

-VI-

When will the day come for Haiti to have a president and vice president who honor and respect Haiti?
When will the day come for Haiti to start decentralizing so it can truly develop?
When will the day come for Haiti to start moving toward modernity, as we see it happening in many other places?

-VII-

When will the day come for each department to have a governor and vice-governor instead of a senator?
When will the day come to have beautiful highways connecting all departments and communes?
When will there be electricity every day, and internet access everywhere without interruption?

-VIII-

When will there be free and mandatory school for all children in Haiti starting at age five?
When will the day come for Haiti to have several millions of tourists visiting the country each year?
When will the day come to have a green Haiti with trees and reforestation everywhere?
When will there be a practical education day in schools everywhere for students to learn various trades?
When will the day come to have a university campus* in each (geographical) department to decentralize Higher Education?
When will the day come to dig canals in all communes so that agriculture can thrive?
When will the day come for hope to blossom for all the children of Haiti?

-IX-

When will the day come for laws to no longer remain in the forests as lwa or spirits but to be properly applied so that justice can prevail?
When will the day come for Haiti's natural resources to be used to help it develop?
When will the day come for the taxes of a (geographical) department to stay within it for its development?

-X-

When will the day come for all government institutions to be computerized to provide faster and efficient services?
When will the Ministry of Public Works have an annex with equipment in each commune?
When will the day come for Haitian leaders to fix everything that is crooked or misplaced?
When will the day come for dirt to be properly buried so that cleanliness can begin to flourish?
When will it be the day for the enemies to have diarrhea when seeing Haitians are getting together for Haiti to move forward?
When? Yes, tell me when…! In the meantime, let's continue threading the needle of change to mend Haiti's dress.

*NOTE

[•]University campus. Here, we would be referring to a branch of the State University of Haiti to create a branch in the ten (geographical) departments. This does not mean it would happen suddenly, but it is important for it to be part of a plan in terms of decentralizing of Higher Education. Students would be able to stay in their department (to attend university, according to what they are studying) without the need to come to pile up in Port-au-Prince. Even professors teaching at the Port-au-Prince campus could also teach in campuses of other departments (according to the schedule of the courses they are teaching).

[•] «Onè», «respè». In Haiti’s countryside or pwovens, it is customary when going to someone’s house to stop by house’s gate and say “onè lamezon!”. For short form, many people would just say “onè!”. If people in the house want to answer you, they would say “respè!”. The idiom would be equivalent to “anyone there?” in English. For courtesy and education, you would not just go through someone’s gate and knock at their door. It would consider to be an invasion of privacy even if you know them. So, if there is nobody in the house, or if they don’t want to receive you, nobody would answer. In that case, you go your way. Nowadays, people would give you a ring using their cellphone.

[•] Pays Blanc. White Country. Haitians in Haiti always consider the United Sates a white country (or dominated by whites in all sense). That mentality remains the same today despite of President Barack Obama, the first black president, and the first Lady, Michelle Obama.
(Ref. Collection / Koleksyon «Kri pou liberasyon : Cry for liberation». © E. W. Védrine. 19 Fevriye 2026 : February 19, 2026. «19 Fevriye 1976 - 19 Fevriye 2026» : February 19, 1976 – February 19, 2026).

(Ref. Collection / Koleksyon «Kri pou liberasyon : Cry for liberation». © E. W. Védrine. 19 Fevriye 2026 : February 19, 2026). Note: «19 Fevriye 1976 - 19 Fevriye 2026» : February 19, 1976 – February 19, 2026).

*

ANNEXED TEXTS : TÈKS ANEKSE

(•) KONFERANS, PREZANTASYON & AWAD: KONFERANS, PREZANTASYON E AWAD.
(•) ZÈV POWETIK E. W. VÉDRINE POETIC WORKS) [•] BIYOGRAFI OTÈ A (AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY). – NOTE: HAITIAN LITERATURE OF DIASPORA: LITERATI AYISYEN DYASPORA: LITERATURA HAITIANA DE LA DIASPORA: LITTÉRATURE HAΪTIENNE DE LA DIASPORA: HAITIANISCHE LITERATUR DER DIASPORA.

(•) Alarive kanal! Alarive yon lòt Ayiti!. (There go canals! Th•
(•) Alfabè pou kiltive pozitivite. (Text and AUDIO). Alphabet for cultivating positivity [•] Alfabeto para cultivar la positividad [•] Alphabet pour cultiver la positivité [•] Alphabet zur Kultivierung von Positivität.
(•) Ayiti, bon konba 2025! • Haiti, good luck in 2025!. (Text and AUDIO).
(•) COLLECTION OF PUBLISHED POEMS. (In periodicals, anthologies and books).
(•) Diskou yon kandida tafyatè. (Speech of a drunkard).
(•) Dezyèm Endepandans • Second Independence • Segunda Independencia.
(•) KANAVAL APK, KPK 2024.
(•) KOZE LANMOU (Volume I, poetry collection).
(•) KOZE LANMOU (Volume II, poetry collection).
(•) Kreyòl se lang ki towo a (poetry) Kreyol is commander-in-chief.
(•) Larezone nan bòl soup chak ane [with version in English, French, Spanish and audio in Haitian Creole].
(•) «POETRY COLLECTION».
(•) Ouvè je w, Ayisyen ! • Open your eyes, Haitians!
(•). POETRY IN HAITIAN CREOLE. 75 p.
(•). Pwoteje enterè Ayiti : Protect Haiti’s interests!
(•). Se kreyòl mwen pale (I speak Creole). Kreyòl Connection. 1997. [Ref. in An Annotated Bibliography on Haitian Creole, a review of publications from colonial times to 2000,  pp. 505].
(•). Si m te, m ta...  (If I were, I would).
(•) Si w renmen Ayiti … • Si vous aimez Haϊti … • If you love Haiti … • Si amas a Haití … • Si bo ta stima Haiti ….
(•). Tande kri peyizan yo! (Listen to the peasants’ cry), © E. W. Védrine. Ref. in (novel) Sezon Sechrès Ayiti.
(•). The Butios have promised victory. (translation).
(•). «TI POWÈM AYISYEN OKTOSILAB». [Poetry collection -- A collection of short octosyllable poems in Haitian Creole with two stanza and eight syllables per verse and eight lines (total); published in the Tanbou (Haitian cultural magazine in Boston) and also appears in newspapers... Some  of the titles include: [•] Pòv k ap mande nan Pòtoprens : Beggars in Port-au-Prince. In Voices of the sun (anthology), Volume I, pp. 274 [•] Peripesi yon ti Pèp Nwa : Hardships of a small Black Nation [In An Annotated Bibliography on Haitian Creole… 2003, pp. 577] [•] Oktosilab pou Alfred Largange : Octosyllable for the late Alfred Largange) [•] Mòtorat : Rat poison. Haïti en Marche. Vol. XI, #2, fev. 1997 [•] Lomeyans pou Mapou : In praise of Jan Mapou, in Haïti en Marche. Vol. XI, #1 [•] Lanmou se yon fri san sezon : Love, a fruit with no season].
(•). 23 POÈMES EN FRANÇAIS ET EN HAÏTIEN: 23 POEMS IN FRENCH AND HAITIAN CREOLE. Titles include: (1) «Afrika oh! Afrika oh!: Afrika! Afrika» (2) «Au bord de l'Océan : Bò Oseyan an» (3) «Ce que tu dois savoir: Sa ou dwe konnen» (4) «Dans la Forêt Noire: Nan Forè Nwa: In the Black Forest: Im Scharzen Wald» (5) «Dans le Parc: Nan Pak la» (6) «Europe et Espagne: Ewòp ak Espay» (7) «Les deux Ponts: Pon Nèf ak Pon Women» (8) «Le voyageur: Vwayajè» (9) «L'enfant et sa mère adoptive: Pitit ak manman adoktif li»  (10) «L'existence et la puissance de l'amour : Ekzistans ak puisans lanmou (Kat lèt : Four letters)» (11) «L'Alpha et L'Omega: Premye ak Dènye» (12) «L'Haïtien et le Chinois: Ayisyen ak Chinwa» (13) «L'Haïtien, un metis: Ayisyen, yon metis» (14) «L'Oiseau et le printemps: Zwazo ak prentan (15) «Où se trouve Haïti?: Ki kote Ayiti ye?» (16) «Qui vous êtes: Kisa ou ye?: Quem é você?: Who you are» (17) «Salamanca: Salamank» (18) «Saison rouge: Sezon wouj (19) «Souvenir: Souvni» (20) «Souvenir de Vienne: Souvni k sot Vyèn» (21) «Trente ans emprisonné: Trantan anprizone» (22) «Un temoin: Yon temwen» (23) «Vive les vacances! : Viv vakans!».

EKRI RESAN: RECENT WRITINGS:  ESCRITOS RECIENTES:
ÉCRITS RÉCENTS: AKTUELLE SCHRIFTEN

(1). CHATTING ON BIBLIOGRAPHIES RELATED TO HAITIAN CREOLE : Kozri sou Koleksyon sou Dokimantasyon sou Kreyòl Ayisyen [•] Discusión sobre las biografías relacionadas con el criollo haitiano [•] Discussion sur les biographies relatives au créole haϊtien [•] Über Bibliografien zum Haitianischen Kreolisch plaudern. [CONFERENCE, moderator Prof. Joseph Marcel GEORGES].
(2). COMPUTERIZING HAITI, AND THE STRATEGY TO DO IT : Enfòmatize Ayiti, e estrateji pou sa fèt [•] Informatizar Haití y la estrategia para hacerlo y la estrategia para hacerlo [•] Informatiser Haϊti et la stratégie pour y parvenir[•] Die Computerisierung Haitis und die Strategie dafür.
(3). DIA DI KUIDO AT HÒFI KÒRSOU (Care & Family Day at Hòfi Kòrsou).
(4). DROUGHT AND ACCESS TO WATER IN HAITI: Sechrès e aksè a dlo an Ayiti : Sequía y acceso al agua en Haití: Sécheresse et accès à l’eau en Haϊti: Dürre und Zugang zu Wasser in Haiti • AUDIO: interview #2 (novel) Sezon sechrès Ayiti). [•] AUDIO: Adaptation of Sezon sechrès Ayiti in the classroom | Odyo adaptasyon (woman) Sezon sechrès Ayiti nan saldeklas. (•). SEZON SECHRÈS AYITI (novel, woman, novela) [•] Questions on the ten (10 chapters): Kesyon sou 10 chapit yo: Preguntes sobre los 10 (diez) capítulos. [Lesson Plan Model for Bilingual education]. A novel in Haitian Creole. [•] Kèk tèm nan Sezon sechrès Ayiti pou disètasyon: Some themes in (the novel) Sezon sechrès Ayiti for essays. Sezon sechrès Ayiti. (2nd. ed.), JEBCA Editions.  224 p. [© The author’s copyright: © Dwa otè a. © Lexical data (for hyper base software for dictionaries): © Done leksikal (pou lojisyèl ipèbaz pou diksyonè: Lexical data for Hyperbase software to write dictionaries). In Papiamento* language, Temporada di sekura na Haiti. [First original Creole version was published in 1994: Soup to Nuts Publishers, Cambridge, MA. 1994. 128 p. This novel has been translated to English by the author, Emmanuel W. Védrine. Résumé en espagnol (resumen en español): Résumé en anglais (English summary). [*Note sur le papiamento : Note on Papiamento].
(5). EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND ORIENTATION TRAINING FOR HAITIAN TEACHERS (Summary [•] Rezime [•] Sommaire [•]  Resumen [•] Zusammenfassung): Recursos Educativos y Formación de Orientación para los Docentes Haitianos [•] Ressources Éducatives et Formation d’Orientation pour le Enseignants Haϊtiens: Bildungsmaterialien und Orientierungsschulungen für haitianische Lehrer.
(6). ESSAYS’ MODELS TO HELP HAITIAN STUDENTS (HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY LEVEL) WITH WRITING: Modèl esè (disètasyon) pou ede Elèv Ayisyen ak ekri: Modelos de ensayos para ayudar a los estudiantes haitianos para ayudar con la escritura [•] Modèles d’essais pour aider les étudiants haïtiens à écrire [•] Aufsatzvorlagen zur Unterstützung haitianischer Studenten beim Schreiben. [See : Wè [•] A look at Higher Education: another step after secondary level [•] Koudèy sou Edikasyon Siperyè Ayiti: yon lòt etap apre nivo segondè].
(7). FIFTY 50 PHRASES RELATED TO CANALS FOR AGRICULTURE IN HAITI: 50 Senkant fraz lye a kanal pou agrikilti Ayiti [•] Cincuenta frases relacionadas con canales para la agricultura en Haití [•] Cinquante phrases liées aux canaux pour l'agriculture en Haïti [•] Fünfzig  Ausdrücke im Zusammenhang mit Kanälen für die Landwirtschaft in Haiti.
(8). HAITI AND RESOURCES FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT: Ayiti, e resous pou devlopman l [•] Haití y los recursos para su desarrollo [•] Haïti et les ressources pour son développement [•] Haiti und die Ressourcen für seine Entwicklung. [AUDIO].
(9). HELPING HAITI AND THE HAITIAN DIASPORA WITH LOVE: Ede Ayiti, e dyaspora ayisyen an ak lanmou [•]Ayudar a Haití y a la diáspora haitiana con amor [•] Aider Haïti et la diaspora haïtienne avec amour [•] Haiti und die haitianische Diaspora mit Liebe unterstützen.
(10). HISTORY OF HAITIAN CREOLE FROM COLONIAL TIMES TO 2022 [AUDIO]: Historia del Criollo Haitiano desde la época colonial hasta 2022 [•] Histoire du Créole Haïtien de l'époque coloniale à 2022 [•] Geschichte des Haitianischen Kreols von der Kolonialzeit bis 2022. (published) [•] BIBLIOGRAPHY: An Annotated Bibliography on Haitian Creole: a review of publications from colonial times to 2000 . 700 p.  [Research presented at the International Linguistic Conference held in Cayenne, French Guiana (from May 9 – 11. 2003, organized by the Laboratoire des Sciences Sociales IRD de Guyane, «Écrire les langues de la Guyane française» (Writing the Langues of French Guiana). Also presented at the ”17th Annual Haitian Studies Association Conference”, University of Massachusetts-Boston, Oct. 2005].
(11).  ONLINE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR HAITIAN TEACHERS, STUDENTS, SCHOOLS IN HAITI AND IN DIASPORA: Resous Edikasyonèl an liy pou ede Anseyan Ayisyen, Elèv, Lekòl (Summary in: Rezime an [•] Deutsch [•] Español [•] Français [•] Kreyòl [•] Papiamento): Recursos Educativos en Línea para Maestros, Estudiantes y Escuelas Haitianas en Haití y en la Diáspora: Recursos educativos en línea para maestros, estudiantes y escuelas haitianas en Haití y en la diáspora: Ressources éducatives en ligne pour enseignants, étudiants, écoles en Haïti et dans la diaspora: Online-Bildungsressourcen für haitianische Lehrer, Schüler und Schulen in Haiti und in der Diaspora.
(12). REFLECTION ON ACTIVITIES TO GUIDE YOUTH IN HAITI AND IN THE DIASPORA: Refleksyon sou aktivite pou oryante lajenès an Ayiti, e nan diaspora [•] Reflexión sobre actividades para guiar a la juventud en Haití y en la diaspora [•] Réflexion sur les activités pour guider la jeunesse en Haïti et dans la diaspora [•] Reflexion über Aktivitäten zur Orientierung der Jugend in Haiti und in der Diaspora.
(13). SELFISHNESS, A VIRUS DESTROYING THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY: Egoyis, yon viris k ap detwi kominote ayisyen [•] El egoísmo, un virus que destruye a la comunidad haitiana [•] Égoïsme, un virus qui détruit la communauté haïtienne [•] Egoismus, ein Virus, der die haitianische Gemeinschaft zerstört.
(14). SOUP FOR HAITI’S DEVELOPMENT AT ALL LEVELS: Soup pou devlopman Ayiti nan tout nivo [•] Sopa para el desarrollo de Haití en todos los niveles [•]Soupe pour le développement d’Haïti à tous les niveaux [•] Suppe für Haitis Entwicklung auf allen Ebenen. (poetry: powèm: poesia: poème: Gedicht).
(15). STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP ROADS IN HAITI: Estrateji pou devlope wout Ayiti [•] Estrategias para desarrollar carreteras en Haití [•] Stratégies pour développer les routes en Haïti [•] Strategien zur Entwicklung von Straßen in Haiti.
(16). TWENTY IMPORTANT POINTS FOR ASPIRING LEADERS: AUDIO Ven 20 pwen enpòtan pou aspiran lidè [•] vingt points importants pour les aspirants leaders [•] veinte puntos importantes para aspirantes a líderes.
(17). TWENTY POINTS IN OUR RESOLUTION FOR 2023: Ven pwen nan rezolisyon nou pou 2023 [•] Veinte puntos en nuestra resolución para 2023 [•] Vingt points dans notre résolution pour 2023: Zwanzig Punkte in unserem Beschluss für 2023.
(18). TEACHING MATHEMATICS TO HAITIANS IN THE UNITED STATES: Anseye Ayisyen Etazini matematik, e leson patikilye [AUDIO] Enseñando matemáticas a Haitianos en los Estados Unidos [•] Enseigner les mathématiques aux Haïtiens aux États-Unis [•] Mathematikunterricht für Haitianer in den Vereinigten Staaten. An interview with Louis Grégoire (Math professor).
(19). SUBJECTS TO BE DEBATED IN THE HAITIAN MEDIA IN DIASPORA: Sijè pou debat nan Medya Ayisyen nan Dyaspora [•] Temas a debatir en los Medios Haitianos de la Diaspora [•] Sujets à débattre dans les médias haïtiens de la diaspora [•] Themen zur Debatte in den haitianischen Medien der Diaspora.
(20). TWENTY 20 POINTS THAT SHOULD BE IN HAITIANS’ PLAN FOR 2025: Ven Pwen ki dwe nan plan w pou 2025 [•] Veinte puntos que deberían estar en el plan de los Haitianos para 2025 [•] Vingt points qui devraient figurer dans le plan des Haïtiens pour 2025 [•] Zwanzig Punkte, die im Plan der Haitianer für 2025 enthalten sein sollten.
(21). WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ALREADY FOR YOUR COMMUNE IN HAITI OR FOR YOUR COMMUNITY IN DIASPORA? : Kisa w fè deja pou komin ou Ayiti oubyen pou kominote w nan dyaspora? [•] ¿Que ha hecho ya por su comuna en Haití o por su comunidad en diáspora? [•] Qu'avez-vous fait déjà pour votre commune en Haïti ou pour votre communauté en diaspora?
(22). WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT HAITI : Sa pifò moun pa konnen de Ayiti : Lo que la mayoría de la gente no sabe sobre Haití [•] Ce que la plupart des gens ne savent pas sur Haïti [•] Was die meisten Menschen über Haiti nicht Wissen.
(23). WISDOM IN THE YEARLY SOUP BOWL [•] Larezone nan bòl soup chak ane [•] Sabiduría en el tazón de sopa anual [•] Sagesse dans le bol de soupe annuelle: Weisheit in der jährlichen Suppenschüssel.
(24). 150 PHRASES TO PREPARE YOU FOR A JOB INTERVIEW (with English, French, Spanish, Haitian Creole version): 150 Fraz ki lye ak entèvyou travay pou ede Ayisyen [including AUDIO] [•] 150 Frases para prepararte para una entrevista de trabajo [•] 150 Phrases pour vous préparer à un entretien d'embauche [•] 150 Redewendungen, die Sie auf ein Vorstellungsgespräch vorbereiten. Audio included (English – Kreyòl).

* * *

Courtesy : Koutwazi

E. W. Védrine Creole Project, Inc. (1992)
Boston, Massachusetts. USA

*

 Viré monté