title: Haïti Chérie
text: # Haïti Chérie
  
  "Haïti Chérie" (French pronunciation: ​: Dear Haiti) is a traditional patriotic song of Haiti of a poem written by Othello Bayard that was initially called it Souvenir d'Haïti ("Memory of Haiti") and composed to music in 1925. It is widely considered as a second national anthem, and one of Haiti's most famous méringues.
  
  ## Lyrics
  
      Ayiti cheri pi bon peyi pase ou nanpwen
      Fòk mwen te kite w pou mwen te kapab konprann valè w
      Fòk mwen te lese w pou m te k ap apresye w
      Pou m santi vrèman tout sa ou te ye pou mwen
      Gen bon solèy bon rivyè e bon brevaj
      Anba pyebwa ou toujou jwenn bon lonbraj
      Gen bon ti van ki bannou bon ti frechè
      Ayiti Toma se yon peyi ki mè chè
      Lè w lan peyi blan ou gen yon vye frèt ki pa janm bon
      E tout lajounen ou oblije ap boule chabon
      Ou pakab wè klè otan syèl la andèy
      E pandan si mwa tout pyebwa pa genyen fèy
      Lan peyi mwen gen solèy pou bay chalè
      Diran lane tout pyebwa ap bay lonbraj
      Bon briz de mè toujou soufle sou nos plaj
      Ayiti Toma se yon peyi ki mè chè
      Kon w lan peyi blan ou wè tout figi yon sèl koulè
      Lanpwen milatrès bèl marabou, bèl grifonn kreyòl
      Ki renmen bèl wòb bon poud e bon odè
      Ni bèl jenn nègès ki konn di bon ti pawòl
      Lan peyi mwen lè tout bèl moun si la yo
      Sòti lan mès ou sòti lan sinema
      Se pou gade se pou rete dyòl lolo
      A la bon peyi se ti Dayiti Toma!
      Lè w lan peyi blan ou pa wè mango ni kòk di tou
      Lanpwen sapoti ni bèl kayimit vèt ou vyolèt
      Lanpwen zanana ni bèl ti pòm kajou
      Ki ban nou bon nwa pou nou fè bon ti tablèt
      Ou jwenn zoranj ki sòti an Itali
      Men ki fennen ki toujou mwatye pouri
      An Ayiti sa si bon se koupe dwèt
      E sou se rapò nou bay tout peyi payèt
      Lè w lan peyi mwen kote ou pase tout lon chemen
      Se bonjou konpè e makomè e pitit la yo?
      Sa n pa wè konsa manyen rantre ti bren
      Pou n bwa ti kichòy pou nou jwe de ti kout zo.
      Fin bay lan men se rantre lan gran pale
      Se politik se movèz sitiyasyon
      Sa pou nou fè se pou nou pran li kou l ye
      Men bon Dye si bon la ban nou benediksyon
      Lè w ou lan peyi blan ou pè pwomennen nuit tankou jou
      Tout moun pè mache prese prese wa di se chen fou
      Kote yo prale pouki y ap kouri konsa?
      Yo pè pèdi tan yo pa janm di: kouman sa?
      Lan peyi mwen moun pa rete avèk lè
      Genyen libète ou gen tan pou pran frechè
      Kote ou pase se bonjou se bay lan men
      Moun pa janm prese yo koze tout lon chemen
      Lè w an Ayiti ou pa janm manke tan pou soufle
      Sak pa fèt jodi ou k ap fè li demen si ou vle
      Kan demen rive ke l bon ou kel pa bon
      Sa pa fè anyen tout moun konn di bon dye bon.
      An Ayiti moun pa janm dezespere
      Nou gen la fwa lan yon Dye ki pa janm manti
      N ap fè jodi kan demen pa asire
      A la bon peyi o mon Dye, se Ayiti!
      Haiti Chérie translates to(translation corrected by @growninhaiti):
      Haiti, my beloved, no other land is more beautiful than you.
      I had to leave you, in order to better understand how valuable you are
      I had to leave you, for me to appreciate you
      So I could truly feel all that you were for me
      There is sunshine, nice rivers and great drinks
      Underneath the trees, you'll always find great shade
      Where you'll find a gentle breeze to keep you cool
      Haiti, is a country dear to me
      In the white man's land, you're freezing and it's never good
      And all day, you're forced to burn coal
      You can't see clearly because the sky is always dark
      And for 6 months, all trees are without leaves
      In my country, there is sunshine to provide heat
      All year long, the trees continue to provide shade
      A soft breeze always blowing on our beaches
      Haiti, is a country dear to me
      Once in the white man's country, all faces are one color
      There is no variety such as our different shades of Kreyòl (Milatrès, Marabou, and Grifonn)
      That love beautiful dresses, powders and fine scents
      Nor black beauties that know the sweetest things to say
      In my country, when all of these beautiful people leave church, it's like going to the movies
      you have to see this, you would remain wide mouthed and open eyed
      What an amazing country Haiti is!
      When you're in the white man's country, you don't see mangoes or roosters anywhere
      Neither sapoti or beautiful green and purple star apples
      Neither pineapples or beautiful cashew apples
      that give us great cashews to make delicious brittle with
      You'll find oranges that came from Italy
      But that are passed ripe and half rotten
      In Haiti, everything is finger licking good!
      And on that note, we're better than any other country
      When you're in my country, wherever you go and along your path it's: "hello sir" "hello miss" "how are the kids?"
      without knowing, you're invited in for a drink and to play some games.
      Every handshake invites a conversation
      Its politics, it's a bad situation
      what we need to do is accept it how it is
      If God is good, he will grant us salvation
      When you're in the white man's country, you're afraid to go out day or night
      Everyone is walking so fast that you'd think they're crazy dogs
      Where are they going? Why are they running?
      They in such a hurry that they never stop to ask how you're doing
      In my country, people don't go by time
      You have the liberty to take your time
      Wherever you go, it's "hello" and friendly handshakes
      People are never in a rush, we chat along our path
      When you're in Haiti, you always have enough time to whistle
      what doesn't get done today, can get done tomorrow if you want
      If tomorrow works, cool... If it doesn't... cool.
      It doesn't matter, everyone knows that God is good
      In Haiti, people are never desperate
      we trust in a God that never lies
      We'll do whatever we can today, because tomorrow is never certain
      What a great country, my God! It's Haiti!
  
  ## Versions
  
  * Audrey Landers, is an American actress and singer who recorded a version in 1984.
  * Cornelia Schutt, known by her stage-name TiCorn, is a Haitian folk singer and songwriter recorded "Haiti Cherie in the 1960s.
  * Georges Moustaki, has long maintained "Haïti Chérie" in his Francophone repertoire.
  * Harry Belafonte, has recorded several versions of "Haïti Chérie" in English.
  * Nancy Ames, recorded a version in Haitian Creole in 1963 or 1964.
  