Ale La (Go There)

Some definitions from urbandictionary.com “ Go there ”- Do something drastic Oh no, don’t make me go there. “ Stay ”- To constantly or consistently do something. I stayed at home on Saturday. -To live in one place, even if it’s at home with your parents for your whole life. Where do you stay? I came across a piece of poetry a few years ago that really stirred something up in me. The poem was called “Ale La” or “Go There” in English. It was originally written in Creole by a Haitian editor and poet named Totongi. At first, I hated the usage of words like “bigwigs, corn and oranges.” But after reading through it a few times, I couldn’t get the phrases out of my head. Here it is in all of its full and strange glory: “Ale la”: GO THERE Go there where you see your heart Leading you, keeping you from changing into a dry desert of sorrow worse than the skin of a drum. Go there even when you’re discouraged when you end up as salt meat in banquets for bigwigs. You have to go there, my brothers a