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by Leroy Moore/Illin and Chillin
Mainstream media paints the picture
of my brothers and sisters in Haiti
They haven’t seen what lays inside
of Enock Placide’s frame
capturing lush landscapes of his country
born in Gonaives and at age four contracted polio.
Going back home to open an art studio
The ink from reporters’ pens don’t tell the story of Soni
or the book on his life, “Soni Mended’s Wings”
A disabled Brother who was on the brink of homelessness
spent his first five yeas in a crib
Now he dances all over the world to raise funds
for orphanages, Wings of Hope and St. Joseph’s Home
Not men in office but boys from the streets helped create
Looking after their brothers with no government strings
But What I do see and read
Poverty, broken communities & high rate of illiteracy
Gives a green light for a coup de etat
Can’t have a Black independent country so close to its Masta, the US
Who enslaved its people to drag them to the home of contradiction
Haitians, Africans, Jamaicans The Black Diaspora
Making the connection
to decades of oppression from Uncle Sam
From slave boats to US Airforce planes
Repeating history
from Florida to Haiti
White men turning back the clock
with budget cuts at home while invading Black land
But people like Michael Geilenfeld & Rose Anne Auguste
Dig their heals deep into Haiti’s soil
to plant seeds of change
Healing Hands for Haiti strengthen the voice of the disabled
and the melody of Boukman Eksperyans,
calls out demonstrators to the streets
creating their own media, art, justice and society
Independence for Black people from DC to Haiti!
…………….Poem for Haiti
By Leroy F. Moore Jr.
My African American Brothers we must learn from
our brothers of St. Josephs Home in Haiti!! After
the coup de etat of Haitis president, Aristide, I got
on the internet and asked my activists friends for
information about Haitians with disabilities.
Receiving very little, until I found the website of
Peter Eyvindson, a Canadian writer which led me to the
powerful and heartfelt story of St. Josephs Home in
Port au Prince, Haiti, for street boys and the life of
Soni Derazin, a Haitian disabled young man now.
Eyvindson was only visiting Port au Prince but his
heart couldnt let go of Michael Geilenfelds work
and the boys of St. Joseph who created Wings of Hope,
a home for disabled youth. Like many writers Peters
pen is connected to his heart and booth took over to
write the book, Sonis Mended Wings
As tears washed my face, anger boiled inside me
like a pot on a high flame. I was torn between the
mainstream media blasting the people of Haiti to the
uplifting and determination detailing the work and
love of Michael Geilrnfeld, who is the founder of
St Josephs Home and his boys who single handily
created Wings of Hope. This was a personal research
of disabled Haitians for me because after doing the
research of St. Josephs Home, Wing of Hope, the life
of Soni Derazin, I had the rare opportunity to talk
to Peter Eyvindon who is the author of Sonis Mended
Wings and Soni. Mr. Eyvindon and Soni are on a book
tour of the US to rise funds to build and furnish of a
physiotherapy unit at Wing of Hope, a home for the
physically and mentally disabled. At their readings,
Soni dances along with the drumming while Peter reads
from the book. This is amazing if you know Sonis
background. According to Peters book, Soni spent his
first five years in a crib and had not had the
opportunity to learn how to walk or talk. Now,
thanks to the boys of St. Joseph, Soni is walking.
They were in North Carolina making their way home
to Canada when I had the chance to speak to them over
the phone. They are pleased that Poor Magazine, the
San Francisco Bayview Newspaper and Pushing Limits
show on KPFA Free Speech Radio are interested in their
story. Soni told me he is learning to read and also
thank me for writing this article. On March 9th I
received the book, Sonis Mended Wings and will be
writing a book review.
According to Peter it is hard on the boys of St.
Joseph and Wings of Hope right now with the recent
events in Haiti because the orphanage survive solely
on donation and tours of people visiting. After the
recent events in Haiti, the boys have to stay inside
and there has not been any visitors, thus cutting back
on their monetary resources for the every day needs
of the boys plus the day-to-day operations of the
home. i.e. electricity, heat and food etc.. Its also
affecting when and how Soni will fly back home to
Haiti. Stay tune for the words from Soni and Peter
about their experiences on tour and the situation in
Haiti for disabled youth.
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