Jacques Fleury

Our poetry feature this week is Jacques Fleury.  Known as the "Haitian Firefly", he was born in Haiti. He is a burgeoning poet, performer and freelance writer.  He was a fourteen year resident of Somerville, until he moved to Cambridge in 2005.  He came to the United States at the age of thirteen with his parents to escape oppression under the then Duvalier dictatorship.

His mother, Marie Eevelyne Toussaint, is a health care para-professional and currently lives in Somerville.    Jacques is a student at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, working on his second degree in Human Services.  He is also matriculated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) FACT program, studying website design.  He is presently participating in The Longwood Seminars Mini-Med School Series at Harvard  Medical School. He currently performs at Open Bark: The Out of the Blue, Squawk Coffee House: the  Harvard Epworth, BORDERS BOOK STORE: with Harris Gardner, and Cantab Lounge’s Poetry Slam! 

He has been published in academic publications such as EXPRESSIONS, In Our Own Write, and more recently, was the featured poet in the March issue of THE ALEWIFE, Cambridge’s latest newspaper. He has also published his poetry and articles in SPARE CHANGE NEWS.

He is  searching for a publisher to publish his first poetry book tentatively titled: "Knight Music: The Haitian Firefly SHINES!"   To have your poetry considered send it to: Doug Holder  25 School St. Somerville, Ma. 02143   dougholder@post.harvard.edu

Almost 16 and Standing

For My Mother

Almost 16 and standing;
a lonely boy as lonely as the letter i
on the corner of Fallen and Windtorn streets.
at exactly 11:59 in the p.m.
in his Sunday best.

Almost 16 and standing;
below the marquee
he’s not waiting to see a movie
he’s not waiting for anything
unfortunately at his house
his mother is being battered;
he chooses to stand at the corner
at 11:59 in the p.m.
waiting for the midnight hour
his eyes frozen in passivity
hoping for captivity!
under the marquee
he will never again play kick the can
looking down FALLEN Street.

c Copyright 2004 by Jacques Fleury