René Depestre
René Depestre was born in Jacmel, Haiti on August 29, 1926. His
work has been published in the United States, the former Soviet Union,
France, Italy, Cuba, Peru, Brazil, Vietnam, Argentina, and Mexico. His
first volume of poetry; Sparks (Eincelles)
was published in Port-au-Prince in 1945. Other publications include Gerbe
de sang (Port-au-Prince, 1946), Vegetation
de clartés, preface by Aimé Cé saire, (Paris,
1951), Traduit du grand large, poeme de ma patrie
enchainée, (Paris, 1952), Minerai
noir, (Paris, 1957), Journal d'un animal
marin (Paris, 1964), Un arc-en-ciel pour
l'occident chretien poeme mystere vaudou, (Paris, 1966). His poetry
has appeared in many French and Spanish anthologies and collections. More
current works include Anthologie personnelle
(1993) and Actes sud, which received the
Prix Apollinaire. In 1988, his novel Hadriana dans
tous mes reves won the Prix Renandot.
"I am the sea in Jacmel," writes Depestre in "Images Not for an Autobiography;"
(Images pour une anti-autobiographic). "I
foam. I rage. I am a bitch of a sea." His body of engagé
works not only addresses Haiti's social and political problems, but also
the plight of oppressed black people in Africa, the Caribbean and in other
parts of the world.
Copyright © by Edwidge Danticat