Poetry in Three Languages: A Haitian Night of Grace and Grit

Friday, May 23, 2025 From 6:00 PM To 8:00 PM Add to Calendar 2025-05-23 18:00:00 2025-05-23 20:00:00 Poetry in Three Languages: A Haitian Night of Grace and Grit Gather with us for a poetic evening featuring voices from Haiti and its diaspora. Through verse and conversation, we explore themes of strength, memory, and the rhythms of language across borders. The French Library, 53 Marlborough St, Boston, Massachusetts, United States America/New_York

At The French Library Get Directions

Join us for a celebratory evening of poetry, conversation, and connection as we mark the U.S. launch of Beyond Life is Poetry, a powerful new anthology by the Haitian literary collective Les Amazones.

This unique event honors the strength and creativity of Haitian women through poetry that spans continents and languages. With readings and reflections in French, Haitian Creole, and English, the evening highlights the voices and visions of women across generations and borders.

The two themes explored are: Voice of Resilience and Women and Revolution—inviting us into a shared space of creativity, memory, and empowerment.

The night will feature a panel conversation with contributors to the anthology, offering insight into their creative process and the themes that unite their work. From personal healing to collective resistance, the poems in this collection are a testament to the transformative power of language.

Our author panel will be followed by a Q&A session, a book signing, a glass of wine, and a Haitian-themed buffet.

The event will be held in English, with selected excerpts read in French and Haitian Creole.

Members

Free

Non-Members

$10

About the Anthology:

Voix de Résilience et Femmes et Révolution brings together 22 poets from Haiti, France, Canada, and the U.S., highlighting two vital themes: the resilience of women in the face of adversity and their central role in social and political change. Published by Les Amazones, this bilingual anthology (in French and Creole, with English translations) affirms poetry as a tool for healing, resistance, and transformation.

About the Speakers:

Ninia Bien Aimé (Ti Powèt), a Miami-based Haitian poet originally from Port-au-Prince. A fierce defender of Creole culture, she is the founding member and Secretary General of MÈB SÈVO (Reading Club) and author of Defile AKWIFÈ, a debut collection that weaves linguistic freedom with cultural preservation.

Djenika Mars, founder of Refrain Littéraire, literary director of Les Amazones, and author of the poetry collection A nu. She was named Poet of the Year by the Prestigious Haitian Music Award and was selected for the 2024 Fetkann Maryse Condé Prize.

Renée Vancie Manigat, editor and founder of We Are Women Org, writer, and cultural advocate. She is also the financial director of Éditions Les Amazones. Author of the short story collection Destin Bleu, she is active in the promotion of women’s rights, culture, and education in northern Haiti and beyond.

Upcoming Events

See All Upcoming Events

Conference

In Search of the Lost Maestro: Rediscovering Edmond Dédé

A presentation by Marguerite de Bourgoing

Thursday, March 19, 2026

For more than a century, one of America’s greatest operas was lost to history. Join documentarian Marguerite de Bourgoing, Harvard librarian Andrea Cawelti, and moderator Morgan Beckford of Boston Lyric Opera for an extraordinary journey into the rediscovery of Edmond Dédé’s forgotten masterpiece, Morgiane, featuring rare insights and archival revelations.

Author Talk

Pierre-Henry Gomont in Conversation: Soviet Land

In partnership with Villa Albertine

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Celebrate the release of the new English translation of Soviet Land with Pierre-Henry Gomont. Set in post-Soviet Russia, this tragicomic thriller follows two small-time swindlers navigating the ruins of a vanished utopia.

Lecture

Night at the Louvre: Art, Intrigue & a Modern Heist

A special lecture with Elaine Sciolino

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Award-winning author Elaine Sciolino returns with the updated Adventures in the Louvre, enriched by new insights into the recent Louvre heist. Don’t miss this insider’s look at the secrets and stories behind the world’s most iconic museum.

See All