‘Something beautiful remains in a place so rich
Yet so in pain…
We have forgotten you, a once jewel amongst stars
Now battered tenements, a horror filled with scars
I cry for you, I cry for your people
I cry for the place you once were….
A song for Haiti….
My son was asked to compose a written piece in creative writing about the devastating earthquake in Haiti, and this is what he came up with. I was proud of his ability to put his pain into words and tell a story without saying much. It is hard to be sitting here in a warm house with food and clothing and cable and wireless when thousands of people are dead and/or dying in Haiti.
In the news, you continue to hear about Haiti’s poor community of citizens. And yes, modern Haiti has been a country of little means if any and lives in a state of poverty, whereby the average salary of a Haitian is $2 a day. But at one time, Haiti was a shining jewel, a crown amongst royalty. That is the Haiti I would like people to remember and learn about. A former slave, Toussaint L’Ouveture lead a revolution in 1772 from France and later, Haiti established ties with Great Britain and the United States.
Modern day Haiti has been mismanaged and abused by those in power. Because of this, Haiti’s almost non-existent economy and poor infrastructure has always been a concern to humanitarians. And with seemingly constant acts of nature such as hurricanes, floods, and now earthquakes, Haiti is going to need our help and prayer.
Haiti has given us many gifts and produced many artists. Artist and producer Wyclef Jean may be one of Haiti’s best well known entertainers. You can hear pieces of Haiti in songs such as ‘Gone Til November’, heavy in guitar and spanish rhythms. Wyclef Jean’s fellow bandmates from the Fugees, Pras is also from Haiti and Lauryn Hill has Haitian ancestry. Singer Maxwell has Haitian blood, as well as actress Garcelle Beauvis Nilon. Painter and artist Jean-Michel Basquait was born in Brooklyn, but is father was from Haiti. They are a nation of proud talented individuals with creativity in their heart and bones. For a list of Haitian Americans, click HERE.
It’s easy to look away and say that this is not our concern but of course that is hogwash. We all can do something to help the effort. Whether it’s donating money to the cause, giving blood or clothing, working phone banks to collect funds for the Red Cross, we all can lend a hand to help. For so long, Haiti has been forgotten by most the world. Let’s lift them up and help as much as possible to help Haiti.