Mission
Poets for Ayiti is a collective of poets from diverse backgrounds committed to the power of poetry to transform and educate. Inspired by the Haitian people’s history of resistance and continuous resilience, Poets of Ayiti publishes books; organizes and encourages poetry gatherings across the United States and the world; and urges poets and poetry organizations to read the work of Haitian poets in all print mediums, on line and via radio.
We have come together to show our commitment to our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
We believe that our poems are our strongest expression of love.
We believe that, along with desperately needed things, love can make life possible.
We are poets from different backgrounds, languages, and geographies, including Haiti.
We honor, are inspired by, and celebrate the history of resistance, the stunning and resilient spirit, poetry and culture of the Haitian people.
We invite you to join us.
We:
-Will organize efforts in support of a library in Port Au Prince, Biblioteque Soleil, http://haitisoleil.org
-Call on poets and poetry organizations to designate April, 2010, National Poetry Month, as Poems for Haiti Month
-Call on poets and poetry organizations to hold readings everywhere in support of Haiti, encouraging always the reading of work by Haitian poets
-Will produce an anthology of poems for Haiti by poets throughout the U.S. and Haitian poets in their original language and in translation, to be published in April 2011. Stay tuned for submission guidelines or email PoetsforAyiti@gmail.com
-As a prelude to the anthology will produce a small, handmade, limited edition chapbook for April, 2010, Poems for Haiti Month
Founding Poets for Ayiti:
Keisha-Gaye Anderson, Linda Baldanzi, Kathy Engel Janlori Goldman, Monica A. Hand, Ellen Miller-Mack, Yesenia Montilla, Yolaine St.Fort, Kimberley Ann Rogers, Ella Turenne, Marta Lucia Vargas, Lisa Wujnovich.
For The Crowns of Your Heads
Our limited edition poetry chapbook For The Crowns of Your Heads is now available for purchase by visiting www.cavecanempoets.org/donation_form
Your donation of $20 or more will go toward rebuilding Haiti’s Bibliothèque du Soleil in Port au Prince, a library razed during the recent earthquake.
Stay tuned for news about our upcoming readings. Visit us also on Facebook.