View source for 'Mèsi Papa Desalin' poem by Morisseau-Leroy

[[image:Felix_morisseau_leroy.jpg|right|thumb|170px|Félix Morisseau-Leroy]]''''Mèsi Papa Desalin'''' ''(Thank you Father Dessalines)'' is a famous poem by Félix Morisseau-Leroy ([[Kreyòl]]: ''Feliks Moriso-Lewa'') (March 13, 1912 Grand-Gosier - September 5, 1998 Miami), it was written in 1979.

This poem in honoring [[Jean-Jacques Dessalines]] shows in which regard Dessalines is held until this day, over 200 years after his victory over the French army under General [[Rochambeau]] (in [[1803]]), which led to the Haitian [http://thelouvertureproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Act_of_Independence proclamation of independence].

The poem also illustrates the difference between foreigners of European descent, who often highlight Dessalines killings of French colonialists, and Haitians and others of African descent for which Dessalines achievements in the fight for freedom from colonial oppression and the lasting impact on the African diaspora are dominant. 

The contemporary view of Dessalines and his struggle for Haiti's independence, which this poem illustrates, gives a small glimpse of how large the events of [[1804]] and their protagonists loom in everyday Haitian life. 

=='Mèsi Papa Desalin'==
===Kreyòl Version===

[[image:jean_jacques_dessalines_II.jpg|right|thumb|170px|Portrait of Dessalines.]][[image:haitian_flag.gif|right|thumb|170px|Flag of Haiti.]]'''Note:''' For an translation into English, see the [http://www.thelouvertureproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=%27Mèsi_Papa_Desalin%27_poem_by_Morisseau-Leroy#English_Version link below].

{| cellspacing="3" 
|- valign="top" 
|width="80%" style="border:1px solid #ffc9c9;padding:3em;padding-top:0.5em; color: black;"|
'''''Mèsi papa Desalin''' {{fn|1}}'' <br>

Papa [[Desalin]], mèsi<br>
Chak fwa m’ santi sa-m ye<br>
M’ di mèsi, Desalin<br>
Chak fwa m’ tande youn nèg koloni<br>
Ki poko lib pale<br>
M’di: Desalin, mèsi<br>
Se mwen k’ konnen sa ou ye pou mwen<br>
Mèsi, papa Desalin<br>
Si m’ youn nonm<br>
Se pou m’ di : mèsi, Desalin<br>
Si m’ ouvè je-m gade<br>
Se gras a ou, Desalin<br>
Si m’ leve tèt mwen pou m’ mache<br>
Se gras a ou, Desalin<br>
Chak fwa m’ gade lòt nèg<br>
M’ di mèsi, Desalin<br>
Lè m’ wè sa k’ ap pase lòt kote<br>
M’ di: mèsi, Desalin<br>
Lè m’ tande kèk nèg parèy mwen pale<br>
M’ di: mèsi, papa Desalin<br>
Se mwen k’ konnen sa ou ye pou mwen<br>
Towo Desalin<br>
Desalin, san mwen<br>
Desalin, de grenn je-m<br>
Desalin, zantray mwen<br>
Se mwen k’ konnen<br>
Se pou tout nèg di:<br>
Mèsi Desalin<br>
Se ou k’ montre nou chimen nou<br>
Mèsi Desalin<br>
Se ou k’ limyè nou<br>
Desalin<br>
Se ou ki ban–n tè n’ ap pile a<br>
Syèl ki sou tèt nou an<br>
Pyebwa, larivyè<br>
Lanmè, letan, se ou<br>
Desalin, se ou k’ ban-n solèy<br>
Ki ban-n lalin<br>
Ou ki ban-n sè, frè-n<br>
Manman, papa-n, pitit nou<br>
Se ou ki fè-n youn jan youn mannyè<br>
Nou pa kou tout nèg<br>
Si m' gade tout mounn nan je<br>
Se ou k’ ap gade yo, Desalin<br>
Se ou ki ban-n dlo pou n’ bwè<br>
Ou ki ban-n manje pou n’ manje<br>
Mèsi, papa Desalin.<br>
Epi, se ou ki ban-n kay pou n’rete<br>
Ou ki ban-n kote pou n’ fè jaden<br>
Se ou k’ montre-n chante<br>
Ou k’ montre-n di: non<br>
Yo di gan nèg ki di: wi,wi.<br>
Gan nèg ki di: yèssè<br>
Ou montre-n di: non<br>
Desalin, montre tout nèg<br>
Tout nèg sou latè di: non<br>
Mèsi, papa Desalin<br>
Gan nèg ki vle esplike:<br>
“Tan jodi pa tan pase<br>
E ke wi alèkile<br>
La fraternité humaine<br>
L’ humanité, la civilisation”<br>
Tou sa, se franse<br>
Mwen menm, se Desalin m’ konnen<br>
M’ di: mèsi, papa-m<br>
Se ou k’ fè-m<br>
Manman-m se pitit ou<br>
Tigason, tifi, se pitit ou tou<br>
Mèsi, Desalin<br>
Pitit-pitit mwen, se pitit ou<br>
Wa Desalin, mèsi<br>
M’ pa bezwen pale pou [[Haitian Flag|drapo a]]!<br>
Pa bezwen pale pou [[Lakayè]]<br>
Pou [[Gonayiv]]!<br>
Yo di sa deja<br>
E ki mounn k’ ap tande sa ankò?<br>
Mès rekwiyèm [[October 17|17 oktòb]]?<br>
Ki mounn ki pral Katedral?<br>
Diskou Minis?<br>
Ki mounn k’ap koute sa?<br>
Men, sa m’ di la a<br>
Se youn sèl mo: mèsi<br>
Mèsi Desalin papa-m<br>
Gan mounn ki pa konnen<br>
Fò m’ di yo<br>
San ou nou pa ta la a<br>
Mèsi, papa Desalin<br>
Epi, fini ak Patè Nostè-w la a<br>
Monseyè, Desalin pa mouri<br>
Ase pale franse, Minis<br>
Desalin pap janm mouri<br>
Desalin la<br>
Nèg sa a ta ka mouri!<br>
Desalin nan kè-m<br>
Lam-o-pye<br>
Desalin ap veye<br>
Youn jou Desalin va leve<br>
Jou sa a, nou tout n’ a konnen<br>
N’ a konnen si [[1804]]<br>
N’ a konnen si [[Lakayè]]<br>
N’ a konnen si [[Lakrèt-a-Pyewo]]<br>
N’ a konnen si [[Vètyè]]<br>
Desalin te fè tou sa<br>
Pou ti nèg ekri powèm<br>
Pou Minis fè diskou<br>
Pou pè chante Te Deoum<br>
Pou Monseyè bay labsout<br>
Desalin pa bezwen labsout<br>
Tou sa Desalin fè bon<br>
Youn jou Desalin va leve<br>
W’ a tande nan tout [[Caribbean Sea|lanmè Karayib]]<br>
Y’ape rele kote-l<br>
Desalin pran lèzam<br>
Arete-l<br>
Lè a, w’ a tande vwa-l kon loray<br>
Tout nèg koupe tèt boule kay<br>
W’ a tande nnan tout Lamerik<br>
Y’ ape rele: rete-l<br>
Vwa Desalin deja an radyo<br>
Koupe tèt boule kay<br>
Nan tout "Harlem" Desalin ap mete lòd<br>
W’ a tande: bare Desalin<br>
Jouk "Dakar"<br>
Jouk "Johannesburg"<br>
W’ a tande: kote Desalin pase?<br>
Koupe tèt boule kay<br>
Desalin pa bezwen labsout<br>
Pa bezwen padon Bondye<br>
Okontrè: Desalin se bra Bondye<br>
Desalin, se jistis Bondye<br>
Pa bezwen Patè Nostè Monseyè<br>
Ni eskiz nèg yo vle mande blan a yo<br>
Desalin pa bezwen<br>
Pou tou sa l’ fè m’ di: papa Desalin, mèsi<br>
Pou tou sa l’ pral fè<br>
M’ di: mèsi, papa [[Desalin]]<br>


''{{fnb|1}}  Tèks sa a ekri daprè òtograf lwa 18 sektanm 1979 la.''<br>
|}


===English Version===

'''Thank you Father Dessalines* '''by Morisseau-Leroy


Thank you Dessalines,<br>
Father Dessalines, thank you<br>
<br>
When I realize who I am today<br>
I say Thank you, Dessalines<br>
<br>
Every time I hear a colonized Negro,<br>
A Negro that is still captive of censorship<br>
I say : Thank you, Father [[Dessalines]]<br>
Only I, know what you mean to me<br>
Thank you, Father Dessalines<br>
<br>
If I am a whole human being today<br>
I have to say: Thank you Father Dessalines<br>
<br>
If I can open my eyes and look at my surroundings<br>
It is thanks to you, Dessalines<br>
<br>
If I walk with my head up high<br>
It is thanks to you, Dessalines<br>
<br>
Every time I look at another Negro<br>
I say : Thank you Dessalines<br>
<br>
When I look at what’s happening in the world<br>
I say : Thank you, Dessalines<br>
<br>
When I hear the White men’s voices<br>
I say : Father Dessalines, thank you<br>
<br>
When I hear my brothers and sisters<br>
I say : Thank you, Father Dessalines<br>
<br>
Only I, know, what you mean to me<br>
Mighty Dessalines,<br>
Dessalines, my blood,<br>
Dessalines, apple of my eye<br>
Dessalines, my womb<br>
<br>
Only I know why<br>
All Negroes must say<br>
Thank you Dessalines,<br>
You showed us the way<br>
Thank you Dessalines<br>
You are our guiding light<br>
<br>
Dessalines,<br>
You gave us the earth we walk on<br>
The skies over our heads,<br>
The trees, the rivers<br>
The sea, the ponds, it is all you,<br>
Dessalines, it is you who gave us the Sun<br>
The Moon,<br>
You gave us our brothers, our sisters<br>
Our mothers, our fathers, our children<br>
<br>
It is you who shaped us this way<br>
Who thought us to be unique<br>
<br>
We are not like other Negroes<br>
<br>
When I look people straight in the eye<br>
It is you who is looking at them, Dessalines<br>
<br>
It is you who gives us water and who quenches our thirst<br>
It is you who gives us food and satisfies our hunger<br>
Thank you, Father Dessalines<br>
<br>
And, it is you who gives us shelter<br>
The earth we harvest<br>
<br>
It is you who taught us to sing<br>
<br>
It is you who taught us to say : NO<br>
<br>
They say some Negroes say : yes, yes!<br>
Other says: Yes, master !<br>
You taught us to say : NO!<br>
<br>
Dessalines taught all Negroes on earth how to say : NO<br>
Thank you, [[Jean-Jacques Dessalines|Father Dessalines]]<br>
<br>
Some Negroes try to explain<br>
That today does not resemble yesterday<br>
And that now,<br>
Human fraternity,<br>
Humanity, civilization,<br>
All that is gibberish!<br>
<br>
All I know is Dessalines!<br>
I say : Thank you, dear father<br>
<br>
You gave me life<br>
My mother is your daughter<br>
Young boys and young girls are your children<br>
Thank you, Dessalines<br>
<br>
My grandchildren are your children<br>
King Dessalines, thank you<br>
<br>
No need to mention [[Haitian Flag|our flag]]!<br>
No need to evoke [[Arcahaie]]<br>
And [[Gonaïves]]<br>
<br>
We already mentioned it!<br>
Who needs to hear it again?<br>
<br>
[[October 17|October 17th]] requiem mass?<br>
Who visits the cathedral?<br>
<br>
The Minister’s speech?
Who will listen to it?<br>
<br>
As far as I am concerned<br>
I will say one word : thank you<br>
Thank you Father Dessalines<br>
<br>
Some do not know,<br>
I must tell them<br>
That without you we would not exist<br>
Thank you, Father Dessalines<br>
<br>
Let us finish with our Pater noster<br>
Your Eminence, Dessalines is not dead<br>
<br>
Stop speaking French, Minister<br>
Dessalines will never die<br>
Dessalines is amongst us<br>
This man cannot die!<br>
<br>
Dessalines is in my heart<br>
Ready to fight<br>
<br>
He’s watching<br>
<br>

The day will come when Dessalines will rise<br>
That day, everyone will know<br>
<br>
We will know if Dessalines made<br>
[[1804]]<br>
[[Arcahaie]]<br>
[[Crête-à-Pierrot]]<br>
And [[Vertières]]<br>
So our writers could write poetry<br>
So our ministers could say speeches<br>
So our priests could sing Te Deum<br>
So Your Eminence could give absolution<br>
<br>
Dessalines does not need absolution<br>
All that Dessalines accomplished is respectable<br>
<br>
One day Dessalines will rise<br>
And shouts will come from the [[Caribbean Sea|Caribbean sea]]<br>
Asking : Where is he?<br>
Dessalines took his weapons<br>
Arrest him!<br>
At that moment, we will hear his voice like thunder<br>
At the signal: Decapitate them, burn their houses!<br>
They will ask that he be arrested<br>
<br>
Dessalines’ voice will already be on the air<br>
Decapitate them, burn their houses!<br>
<br>
In Harlem, Dessalines is putting the house in order<br>
We will hear : Arrest him!<br>
<br>
All the way to Dakar<br>
All the way to Johannesburg<br>
We will hear : where has Dessalines gone?<br>
Decapitate them, burn their houses?<br>
Dessalines does not need absolution<br>
Dessalines does not need God’s forgiveness<br>
<br>
On the contrary : Dessalines is God’s hand<br>
Dessalines is God’s justice<br>
<br>
He does not need Your Eminence’s Pater noster<br>
<br>
Some men are requesting the White men’s excuses<br>
<br>
Dessalines does not need these actions<br>
<br>
For all Dessalines accomplished : Father Dessalines, thank you<br>
For all he will do<br>
I say: Thank you , Father Dessalines.<br>
<br>
'''*''' Translated by Marie-Hélène Destiné

==Books by Morisseau-Leroy in English==
* Morriseau-Leroy, Felix and Constantine, Peter. (2003) ''Three Haitian Creole Tales''. St. Paul, MN: Consortium Book Sales and Distribution. (paper) ISBN 1931243220.

==See also==
* [[Memoir of Toussaint Louverture, Written by Himself]] - Includes several passages dealing with Jean-Jacques Dessalines.
* [[Toussaint Louverture letter to Jean-Jacques Dessalines (1802)|Toussaint Louverture letter to Jean-Jacques Dessalines]] - 1802 Letter by [[Toussaint Louverture]] asking Dessalines to burn down Port-au-Prince.
* [[William Wells Brown - Dessalines]] - 1863 perspective from an African-american writer from the book ''The Black Man, His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements''.
* [[Act of Independence]] - English translation of the document from [[1804]].

* Haitian Revolutionary Battles with decisive participation of Dessalines:
** Battle of [[Crète-à-Pierrot]] - One of the fiercest battles against the French troops (1802)
** Battle of [[Vertières]] - The final and victorious battle before independence ([[1803]])

* [[La Dessalinienne]] - Haitian national anthem named in honor of Jean-Jacques Dessalines.

====Images====
* [[:Image:Moriso-2.jpg|Morisseau-Leroy Portrait]] - by Stephen Malagodi

==External links==
* Left Curve: [http://www.leftcurve.org/LC23webPages/felixpoems.html Poems of Félix Morisseau-Leroy] - Three poems translated into English with a short note on Morisseau-Leroy's life and publications.
* Edwidge Danticat reads the poems [http://www.pen.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/3499/prmID/1831 “Tourist” and “Boat People”] by Felix Morisseau-Leroy (translated from Haitian Creole by Jack Hirschman) at the event Evolution/Revolution, part of the 2009 PEN World Voices Festival.  (audio: [[Haitian Creole]] and English language text)
* Wikipedia: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Félix_Morisseau-Leroy Félix Morisseau-Leroy] - Background on the important Haitian writer.

[[Category:Arts|Mèsi Papa Desalin poem by Morisseau-Leroy]]
[[Category: Poems|Mèsi Papa Desalin poem by Morisseau-Leroy]]