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  • The Peasant Declares His Love
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The Peasant Declares His Love

Émile Roumer

High-yellow of my heart, with breasts like tangerines,
you taste better to me than eggplant stuffed with crab,
you are the tripe in my pepper-pot,
the dumpling in my peas, my tea of aromatic herbs.
You are the corned beef whose customhouse is my heart,
my mush with syrup that trickles down the throat.
You are a steaming dish, mushroom cooked with rice,
crisp potato fries, and little fish fried brown…
My hankering for love follows you wherever you go.
Your bum is a gorgeous basket brimming with fruits and
meat.


Émile Roumer

from An Anthology of Contemporary Latin-American Poetry, edited by Dudley Fitts (Norfolk, CT: New Directions, 1942)

translated by John Peale Bishop

Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holder. If you can advise us of the appropriate acknowledgement to be made please contact reception@spl.org.uk

Tags:

desire food Haiti Love metaphor sensuality wooing and courtship

About this poem

This poem, representing Haiti, is part of The Written World – our collaboration with BBC radio to broadcast a poem from every single nation competing in London 2012.

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