Voices beneath the rubble!

Courtesy twitpic http://twitpic.com/photos/LisandroSuero?page=11


Vwa anba debris- (Voices beneath the rubble!) by Joel Theodat!

Anmwey! Nou tande m?
Eske n tande rèl mwen?
M pa konnen si nou ka tande n men mwen anba debris yo
Eske tande m anba debri yo?
Mwen la, mwen pa mouri
M gen blok sou tout kò m epi yo lou
M pa ka vire
Gen sant kò pouri anba kote m ye a
Gen yon moun ki akote m ki pa vire
Li pa pale
Li kouche la rèd
Eske n ap vin chèche m? N ap vini?
M pè
Poukisa pa gen okenn moun ki vin pou mwen?
M tande vwa deyo a.
O! O! M tande vwa manman m.
"Manman! Manman! Mwen la
Manman, wi?"
Mwen swaf anpil. Gòj mwen sèch
Mo paka soti nan bouch mwen ankò
M pa ka respire
Manmi, ou kwè m ap janm we figi w ankò? Ou kwè?
M santi m anci dòmi, manmi. Toutbagay nwq.
Tanpri manmi, tanpri, pa kite m mouri
Lè,lè, lè...pa gen ankò..................................

Translation

ANMWEYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can you hear me?
Can you hear my cry?
I don't know if anyone can hear me but
I am beneath the rubble
Can you hear me beneath the rubble?
Mwen la, mwen pa mouri. I am here, I am not dead.
I have blocks all over me and they are heavy, I can't move
There is the smell of rotten flesh beneath where I am
There is someone next to me who is not moving
No word is coming out of his/her mouth
He/She is lying there still
Will you come for me? Will you?
I am so scared
Why isn't anybody coming for me?
I hear voices coming from outside
Oh! I hear Mom's voice
Mamma! Mamma! I am down here
Manman wi!
I am so thirsty. My throat is dry
No words are coming out anymore
I can't breathe
Ma! Will I ever see your face again? Will I?
I am feeling sleepy, Ma! Everything is turning dark
Please Ma, don't let me die
Air, air, air, no more.................

This poem brought tears to my eyes! The people of Haiti need your help and as the writer of this poem who is also my Kreyòl teacher told us after class today, everything you give is like a drop from a bucket which touches a life. Our reward he says is the Smile of God which we can see on the faces of those whose lives we reach with the gifts of our money, prayers and ourselves!
Orevwa! Byebye!

Olaoluwatomi Kehinde Lamikanra

MPH Candidate, 2010
Health Policy & Management
olamikan@hsph.harvard.edu