My new poem, “Beyond the Noise, Only You,”
captures a profound love set against the lively, chaotic streets of Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, where I grew up and left for the states when I was 15 years old. If you’ve been to Okap, you will understand not only the meaning of the poem, but the dynamics between incessant horn blowings from both Tap-Tap and motorcycles. However, the speaker in the poem found love and pleasure in the midst of the noise and beyond the noise 😊

Amid the bustling scene—crowded streets, honking cars, and wild motorcycles—the poet finds himself entirely captivated by his beloved, the new girl he just meets while waiting for the bus in the midst of the noise. While others may be overwhelmed by the city’s noise and disorder, the poet sees only beauty, focusing solely on the presence of his new love.

When they reach the boulevard—as a kid, this is the place I used to spend my afternoons riding my bike and eating ice cream with friends—where bright lights illuminate the night, the poet feels that the true light radiates from within him—a love that is unwavering, enduring, and powered by an inner force that only death can extinguish. Through this vivid setting, the poem illustrates how true love can create a sense of eternity, belonging, even amidst life’s chaos, grounding the poet in a powerful and everlasting devotion to his new lover he meets in Okap’s boulevard.

“Beyond the Noise, Only You”

On bended knees, feet pressed to stone,
I hear your voice, soft and low,
Creole words spun sweet and slow,
As if meant only for my soul.
We meet, we meld, and love becomes us.
We stroll the streets with hearts unbound,
Innocent, untroubled, with no care to be found.
The city’s pulse, its noise and beat,
We welcomed both, in rhythm sweet.

Come, let’s walk through Okap’s streets,
Where chaos and life collide and meet—
Motorcycles and drivers wild,
Horns blaring, crowds like rivers untamed,
Yet all I see is you, my love, new and eternal,
And nothing else can call my name.
Amid the clamor, loud and wild,
I found my peace, my heart beguiled—
Beyond the noise, in quiet grace,
Your love whispered soft, and I embraced its trace.

The noise was wild, but I stayed calm,
Unmoved by the city’s relentless hum—
Yet your first smile, quiet and sweet,
Stirred a storm that swept me off my feet.
We reach the boulevard, where lights blaze bright,
But if you’d look, you’d see a light
Shining deeper in my eyes, my heart,
The fire that love ignites and sparks.
In every sound, in every stride,
We found love’s whisper, side by side—
As we embraced the chaos, we felt it too,
Love blooming in the noise, pure and true.

This love, unending, fierce and pure,
Runs on a pulse no storm can cure—
Powered by a generator deep in my soul,
This flame will burn until I grow cold.
No one here in Okap knows
How these dusty streets, loud and bold,
Can make a “Kapwa” behold
The boundless sight of eternity’s road.

* The Kreyòl word “Kapwa” refers to the native of the city of Cap-Haitien.

* The Kreyol word “Okap” is the equivalent of Cap-Haitien, Haiti’s second largest city.

Regardless of the outcome of the presidential election, whether your candidate wins or loses, consider following these principles:

1. Treat others with kindness, even those who hold opposing political views or ideologies.

2. Uphold human dignity, civility, and tolerance, whether in moments of victory or disappointment.

3. Use your actions and ideas to support our democracy and foster human flourishing.

4. Avoid vengeance, and refrain from spreading hate, xenophobia, or fear, whether in public or private.

5. Act with love and understanding in all that you do.

#lovewins
#lovewinseverytime

“Tough Questions for a Big God”

The greatest external challenge to the divine will and sovereignty of God in the world is the human capacity for individual will and freedom. This freedom complicates the workings of divine love and justice in the world. God’s justice will not be fully achieved without human cooperation, and divine love and power alone is not sufficient to make all things right in the cosmos.

A God who honors human autonomy cannot simply remove suffering and eradicate evil at will. This phenomenon explains the mystery of the intersection between divine freedom, human freedom, and the enduring problem of evil—the heart of theodicy.

Moreover, since the beginning of creation and human history, there are few recorded events where God directly eradicates evil within human communities. Such instances of divine triumph are rare in global history. In contrast, human communities worldwide have seen a persistent rise in evil and the spread of suffering across nations. In other words, we lack concrete evidence, past or present, that God has decisively eradicated evil or is actively doing so in these fragile and uncertain times for contemporary societies.

How can we be sure that God will ultimately create a future world better than the present one?

How can we trust that human beings will attain greater moral goodness in the world to come?

How can we be confident that, in the end, God will eliminate all forms of suffering and evil in the universe?