M
mountainannie
Guest
My area here in Florida - Lantana - in Palm Beach County -is filled with Hatians from St, Marc - where I lived back in '79. Late last night, just before closing, I was in a local supermarket at the checkout and three Haitians were speaking Kreyole to the clerk. I leaned in - as I always do when I hear Kreyole - which I do not speak but often strain to understand.. I guess I was staring - and they looked back with suspicion. I broke out my French - and explained that I had lived there...
There faces were immediately wreathed in smiles... since most of the Haitians here are well educated in the perfect French of Haiti. I am often sad that there are so very many of them here - when Haiti needs ALL of them there... But.. well..
As I left them, I saluted them with one of my few Haitian Kreyole phrases "Kembe La" - "Hold the line"
I left one of my bags at the check out counter and the clerk ran out to me in the parking lot, crying "Madame, Madame...." ..
This morning,, I found this poem - "Kembe La"
There faces were immediately wreathed in smiles... since most of the Haitians here are well educated in the perfect French of Haiti. I am often sad that there are so very many of them here - when Haiti needs ALL of them there... But.. well..
As I left them, I saluted them with one of my few Haitian Kreyole phrases "Kembe La" - "Hold the line"
I left one of my bags at the check out counter and the clerk ran out to me in the parking lot, crying "Madame, Madame...." ..
This morning,, I found this poem - "Kembe La"
