Our Flame Will Never Extinguish
(A Tribute to the People of Haiti)
By Bito David
In this time of great sorrow
We wish we could find a light to follow
A light that would bright up our path
And appease somehow our wrath
In this time of desperation
We wish we had an explanation
To understand why our people and our nation
Have to go through this great tribulation
The candles that you brought will light up our days
We will carry them in our most precious trays
To guide us with your thoughts and a sublime wish
That this tragedy our flame will never extinguish
In this time of great sorrow
From no one a resolve we will borrow
Deep in our sources we will find the strength
To empower us to walk through the stench
In this time of great sorrow
We have to focus on our tomorrow
With a clear knowledge of our mission
To the adversary never give our submission
These candles will light up our days
We will carry them in our most precious trays
To guide us with your thoughts and a sublime wish
That this tragedy our flame will never extinguish
Editor’s Note: Bito David, a public affairs specialist for Palm Beach County schools, says he is grateful that his mother, father, sister and niece are safe following the earthquake in Haiti. They live in a town called Marin, which is about 10 miles north of Port-au-Prince.
David, who usually assists Creole-speaking parents with their day-to-day concerns, wrote a poem for a candlelight vigil held a few days after the earthquake at Toussaint L’Ouverture High School in Boynton Beach. The school’s student population is 93 percent Haitian. Thank you to David for this moment of inspiration.