More spotlight on Haiti's poets

I hope you have enjoyed the posts during February and March on Haitian poets. I certainly have learned so much about Haiti's rich literary heritage, and the breath of collections from Haiti's poets. In fact, I just found this link on another interesting Haitian poet, Michele Voltaire Marcelin, which I hope you will check out.

I want to encourage you to continue to delve into the writings of Haitian poets. There are very good translations of these collections around, if you do not read French.

April is poetry month, and every year, I look forward to the many celebrations which honor poets and their poetry. I hope that you will find the time to participate in some of these.

• Purchase a poetry collection
• Attend an open mic event
• Read some poetry as a form of relaxation
• Write some poetry
• Write a review of poetry you have read

Poetry is fun, so find your inner poet!

Stay tuned as I celebrate poetry month with you.

Leon Laleau

Leon Laleau, a distinguished Haitain diplomat, politician and poet, was born in Port-au-Prince in 1892. He held degrees in law and science, and represented Haiti as a diplomat at the United Nations as well as diplomatic missions in Cuba, Panama, Lima, Santiago, Paris, London and Rome.

He was a prolific writer of poetry, plays and novels, and in 1962, Laleau received the Edgar Allan Poe prize. Leon Laleau died in 1979.

Below are some of Laleau's works:

Poems:

• La Flèche au Cœur (1926)
• Le Rayon des Jupes (1928)
• Abréviations (1928)
• Musique Nègre (1931)
• Ondes Courtes (1933)

Novels:

Jusqu'au Bord (1916)

La Danse des Vagues (1919) 

Le Choc (1932)

A Voix Basse (1920)

Plays:

La Pluie et le Beau Temps

Le Tremplin

Kreyolicious, a blog about Haitian literature and culture, has a review of Laleau's novel, Le Choc.

If you read French, check out some more information on Laleau here.