Nama

Author's Note: It's a few hours late, but this is shared in honor of Haitian Flag Day, though I wrote it around 2008 or 2009.

the last time we spoke 
i had gourdes in my pocket
and strained my ears to hear you over the static on the line
as all around me
a chorus of kreyòl voices swelled in a symphony 
            of struggle and despair
while cool shadows of late afternoon seeped into the room
seeking refuge from the hot Santiago sun