Catastrophic Magnitude

The earth shook

The buildings fell

The people trapped and crushed in their sleep

The children lay dead in the street

Those who made it out now had no place to stay

No food to eat nor water

Fathers, Mothers, Sons and Daughters

All helpless, dependent and interdependent

These proud people with Dessalines in their genes

Paying for practicing what the free world declared

The slaves revolted and took their independence

Made Napoleon give up his land in America

Still for a loosing cause

Soon the spirit of the Maroons will have to come

But this is a different attack

This did not come from someone that hates you

This came by nature

Natural causes

All of these dead from natural causes

A disaster area, a catastrophe

Many of us only could see through the lenses of those on ground

We cold not smell the dead rotting in the sun

We could not hear the screams for help

Nor feel the heat

We could see the pain

We did understand that this was beyond serious

Curious as to how anyone there could smile dance or play

Astonished that so many were even more steadfast in prayer

God must be angry here somewhere

But tell me how else would the world even care about

People they have never cared about

People they let drown in the ocean before they would let them come to shore

Off of make shift boats, that were barely afloat

Surely just the idea that they would risk their life to get a better life

Must have shown some of the urgency

Emergency now to give aid

Its out here in front of the world

Not even the most callous can be that shady to watch a baby die

And not feel the desperation

But if you are not Haitian

If you are not in Haiti

You can turn your TV.

Pick and choose to remember when it’s on the news

Even as I speak

Someone right now seeks shelter

Someone right now needs food

Tell me how do we help when it seems like

Mother Nature has an attitude

What will we do to help and assist

To resist and persist

Against this

Catastrophic Magnitude

Still the wonderful smiles and colors surround

And their spirit will not be smothered by their pain

Over 300,00 dead

Over 1 million homeless

But they still find a reason to sing

Bring the buckets to gather the water and share it

Bring the masses to come see a people still undefeated

Full of the sounds and dances of the future

The worst has past

The sun still shines

There is much work to do

And no time to complain

Their faith is even stronger

L’Union Fait La Force

Unity Makes Strength

So it just makes sense

That Haiti will come together again

And show the world

The definition of independence

And all of humanity’s need

For Interdependence

And no Magnitude

However Catastrophic

Can ever

Stop this

Recorded Audio