Actor Chelson Ermoza makes his big comeback after four years spent in Lascahobas. At the weekly event Les vendredis de la DNL, the storyteller released his collection Tras pye lorizon.
In the gardens of the Directorate of Books on Friday, July 31, the atmosphere was friendly. A number of people had come to meet this artist, who built his artistic career in this now unrecognizable city. Upon our arrival in this charming setting, perfect for artistic creation, we noticed the presence of several prominent figures in the Haitian cultural scene. Notable attendees included the director of the DNL, Ernst Saint-Louis, the poet Marc Exavier, the actress Jenny Cadet, and the poet Frantzley Valbrun, winner of the Balisaille poetry prize in Guadeloupe.On stage alone, storyteller Chelson Ermoza puts on his show. He tells stories. He doesn’t wait for nightfall to dive into his tales, some more epic than others. Besides, people love stories. After each performance, the audience always wants more. Stories have the power to convey moral and cultural values, entertain the audience, help with mental development by managing fears, and preserve collective identity through oral tradition. The storyteller continues his journey for the enjoyment of his audience.
On the side of his performance, the poet also signed copies of his poetry collection titled “Tras pye lorizon.” “This collection is made up of about ten untitled poems. These are scattered texts that I gathered into this first booklet,” shared the one who has played many characters on the streets of Port-au-Prince.Poetry has always had a special role in Chelson Ermoza’s life. “Poetry has always been part of my life. When I was a child, at school, in Cité Soleil, I loved reciting poems I had memorized. In high school, thanks to a teacher, I discovered poetry from a different perspective, different from that of childhood. Very early on, on 5th Avenue Bolosse, in a youth group at a church, I was fascinated by performers who read texts by Lyonel Trouillot, René Depestre, Davertige, Anthony Phelps, René Philoctète, …,” explains the storyteller.
The artist’s encountersLittle by little, the poet builds himself through encounters. Poetry takes shape in his heart. “Later, I came across Johnny Zéphyrin and Nélio Joseph, who introduced me to another form of poetry, close to that of Georges Castera, Roumer, Syto Cavé, Narcisse, Frankétienne… I was lucky enough to take part in the weekly meeting ‘Sunday in Poetry’ at the Étoile Filante Library in Fontamara. There, I had the chance to meet enthusiasts like Bonel Auguste, Makenzy Orcel, Rolando Étienne, and others,” recalls Chelson Ermoza, noting that he already felt the urge to scribble poems in notebooks.”Everything I am finds its source through poetic works. As an actor, I used to perform staged poetic texts, due to the lack of theatrical productions. I do theater, I tell stories, but poetry always remains a refuge. When I’m upset, I write to express my distress, my frustrations, my anger. When I’m happy, I let that joy express itself on a piece of paper. It’s the collection of all these texts together that forms this first bouquet,” said the one affectionately nicknamed Zo Papa.
The collection “Tras Pye Lorizon” is a text worth discovering. Prefaced by the poet Bonel Auguste, this booklet of verses is available on Amazon, while we wait for the stock to be replenished.“Even if we don’t always have room
for grand gestures
or subjects to compliment
Tonight
Not in many words
but in the heartbeat
I carry for you
If what we feel goes beyond words
It’s love that we see before the alphabet.”
After four years away from Port-au-Prince, Chelson Ermoza returns to the city with stories to tell, memories to share, and poems to offer. With Tras pye lorizon, he continues a path he started in childhood, mixing theater, storytelling, and poetry. It’s Zo Papa’s way of leaving traces, in words and voice, in a city that, despite its wounds, continues to fuel the imagination of its artists.
