Haiti, You Will Rise Again Poem by RoseMarie Mitchell

For a long time you ruled solely as Queen
Robed in garments of trees, lustrous and green
You wore mountains as crowns, majestic and tall
Beauty, charm, and wealth, once upon a time, you had it all
“The Pearl of the Caribbean”, you were known by that name
Today, you have lost that claim to fame
Your land is stripped it’s now naked and bare
And if more trees are not planted there are landslides to fear
The trees are then burned
And it’s causing concern
But some people need to use it for fuel
That’s how they destroyed the beautiful jewel
Your warm bright sunshine caresses your beautiful shore
Who could have asked for more?
Your drums beat strong and vibrant as they tell the story
Of your history and your past glory
They tell about your heartbreak, suffering, and pain
They tell how once you were shackled and chained
Of slaves who revolted and bravely fought
To gain freedom which they desperately sought
In 1804, they won freedom from France
To rule their own country they had gotten the chance
From then on, lots of countries turned their back on you
You were on your own that was sad but true
In 2008, a storm devastated your lives and plenty of land
Maybe for Haiti, God has a plan
Every year it seems, you are faced with tragedy
From calamity and destruction you can’t seem to be free
Now I am using the internet but it started with a pen
To write about your bad luck in 2010
Even though I don’t speak much French or Creole
I am writing this in English because your story must be told
No one expected this 7.0 earthquake
It seems once again, you’re destined for trauma and heartbreak
The cameras capture the dust on your head
As you lament in pain while you bury your dead
So many tales of lives lost; of people who have died
Our hearts ache for you, and for the tears you have cried
Your buildings have crumbled, tumbled and fell
Life as you know it, is not going well
But as your cities and your world lie in ruins
Your drums continue to play your sad tunes
Your homes have been destroyed and your loved ones lost
And the price of rebuilding will come at a cost
We’ve seen your exodus as you travel across sea and road
Your burdens are heavy for you carry a great load
You are homeless and hungry you have nothing to eat
You have lost your jobs and you’ve lost your feet
You sleep in tents because you have no place to go
Your life is filled with sadness and woe
Your children are gone or left motherless
This must be a test, I must confess

You’ve experienced the stench of death, and witnessed horrific sights
You’re stuck in a place with no water or lights
You lose your belongings, your daughter and son
You never get a break or have any fun
In spite of it all, your hands are raised
As you sing spiritual songs of thanksgiving and praise
You’re strong, you’re resilient, and your spirit is not broken
We admire your faith and your courage is unspoken
While in your terror you sent up a pray
You were given a miracle, in the midst of despair
You were once under a regime, ruled by dictatorship, violence, and threats
Your name was tarnished with kidnappings, killings and deaths
You have learned to improvise and find solutions for the problems you face
You really are a remarkable race

You create paintings that are masterpieces, you’re ingenious and artistic
Yet, you’re not naïve or in any way unrealistic
You have been ripped of your dignity, your human rights and pride
And sometimes, it seems, no one is on your side
You work for minimum pay and your infrastructure is weak
Yet you hardly complain or accept defeat
Know you’re not alone the world is taking note of your courage and your grace
And we’re just filled with admiration no matter our color or race
I think God has a plan for the world to take heed
So we can pay attention and attend to your need
As the various countries come to your aid
We hope that when the cameras stop rolling, the help wouldn’t fade
You have rescue teams, doctors, and the military at hand
They have all come together to help rebuild your land
The rest of us who cannot be there
Have already donated to show that we care
There’s something else I think we already know
That God is with us though matter where we go
God didn’t do this
But he allowed it for a reason
Tomorrow is not promised, we’re only here for a season.
When the reporters go home, and you’re no longer in the spotlight
We know you won’t give up but will continue to fight
Soon you’ll recover from this nightmare
And you’ll tell yourself that life isn’t fair
The sacrifices you have made must not be in vain
So keep off the shackle and throw away the chain
We know you’re heartbroken, we’ve seen your sorrow and pain
Today, you crawl on bended knees, but tomorrow, you will rise again!

Good bye my friend
I’ll see you again
But I don’t know when
I’ve finished this story and that’s the end.
(Au revoir)