Poem by Jacques "The Haitian Firefly" Fleury

"Homeless" by James Conant



Things I have Purposefully Left Behind

I used to refuse to
Unclench my fist to
Reveal Hand designed clouds,
That I used to
keep as close to
Me as my worst enemy,
In the sunny swallow of Haiti
Where oppression and depression
exchanged wedding rings
amidst the anxious muffles of democracy.
Tepid smiles of the young as they rapidly
get older under tyrannical weather
while mom and dad stood
stupefied and uttered gems like
“my have you grown…”
I often hid inside the alcoves and folds of my brain
Where baby doc could NOT find me!
Where I could nurse my fear and
dream of becoming a revolutionary.
Gradually becoming weary of
Perpetually stroking a hungry Lion that
Repeatedly promised that
he will not eat me,
Even in the midst of famine.
I went to bed with this lie,
I believe it was this lie that
Was wetting my bed.
Then one day, I came awake
Just in time to realize that EVERYTHING was a fake!
And so today I celebrate,
These things I have purposefully left behind.
Honoring my new American capacity!
Emerging from the dusty sweaty claws of
The once seemingly interminable and intentional scorch
that used to be my life.