Where I Come From

 

I am from a place where happiness and misery match,

  Where people can free their thoughts,

Where some people enjoy their life.

 

I am from a place where we play soccer every weekend.

 

I am from fritay(1) every Friday,

And from diri ak pwa kongo(2) each Saturday.

 

I am from a place where they yell at me to show me affection,

Where they insult me to show me that they care,

Where they punish me to show me that they love me.

 

I am from my mom’s “m ap frape tèt ou nan tout mi kay la, wi”(3)

But she never does,

Where I am always wrong and she’s always right.

 

I am from a place where Mom would beat me up if I made fun of her,

Where she is always talking and talking…

 

I am from a place where there is always loud music,

Where people are always having fun.

 

I am from Haiti,

The place I call home.

 

1. An assortment of fried food (plantains, sweet potatoes, pork…)

2. Rice with Congo beans

3. “I’ll knock you head on every wall in this house, yes I will.”

 

Henri L., Bridge Academy, 12th grade