When You Are Given Deadly Weapons

This is a message to my dear brothers

And to my beloved sisters

When you are given deadly weapons

Do not use them against your siblings

Your cousins and your friends

The corrupt misfeasors who give you stolen guns

Are not your friends, they are our enemies

When you are given illegal assault rifles

Do not use them to kill your own people

Use reverse psychology. Good people

Provide good education, great and lasting help

Condone violence and encouragement

To do good deeds and to foster a better tomorrow

Good citizens won’t encourage you to dive in the ultrahazardous burrow

Good people don’t do illicit drugs and won’t give you alcohol

To ruin your lives, in order to become thugs, bums or villains

When you are given contraband deadly weapons

Use them to defend your brothers and sisters

When you are given illegally stolen weapons

Use them to defend your country and your people

Don't sell your land, your pride and your future

For ostentatious dinners, expensive big ticket items or hush money

Life is precious, priceless and blisteringly pricy

I am convinced that you are absolutely brilliant

And you fully comprehend exactly what I mean

Don't listen to corrupt politicians or thugs who are outrageously greedy

Ignore the criminals who hire you to kidnap, burn, steal, murder, maim

Violate the constitution, use violence, and commit heinous crimes

Always love and protect your country

Always love and protect your brothers and sisters

Always love and protect your cousins

And all your good friends

Whenever the assassins slip or put unlicensed guns in your hands

Ask questions, pray, and think, think before you do

Any wrongful acts, before you kidnap and commit murder

Your country is your mother and your father

Do not let strangers or unscrupulous charlatans

Mess you up or cause friction between you and your people

Your people are your mother and father

Creole speaks; Creole understands

You are very intelligent. I trust that you get the message

Stop the violence, stop the chaos, and stop the mayhem

Our country does not make or fabricate weapons

Our enemies want us massacred and exterminated

You must not destroy your soul and the soul of our country

Let nobody mistreat you. You are good. You are the children of God

Our ancestors were good and proud people. I hope you remain good.

P.S. Translation from Haitian Creole:” Lè Yo Ba Ou Zam”, by Hébert Logerie

Copyright © May 2021, Hébert Logerie, All rights reserved

Hébert Logerie is the author of several collections of poems in several languages.