Tuesday, November 20, 2018

L'Aristote de la Mer




L'Aristote de la Mer

Il y a un homme sage dans la mer
Un homme brillant et extraordinaire
Un maître de la philosophie d'Aristote
Une tortue tropique, mon brave compatriot!

Il avait au moins trois pieds de long
Et nageait comme un petit Poséidon
Il m'a tout appris sur ce sujet
“La nature ne fait rien sans objet.”

Oh, comme j'ai aimé sa brillante philosophie
“Qu’il n’y a point de génie sans un grain de folie.”
Bien plus qu’une leçon de zoologie
J’ai appris que “L’ignorant affirme, le savant doute, le sage réfléchit.”

Au-dessus de toutes les créatures cet Aristote brillait
En entendant sa sagesse, j'ai ri et pleuré
Chaque mot était comme une douce caresse
"Le doute est le commencement de la sagesse."

Oh, comme je voulais être son ami
Un étudiant de cette merveilleuse académie
Mais dit mon ami sage et profonde
“Ce n'est pas un ami que l'ami de tout le monde.”

Sunday, July 8, 2018

La Rose de Porcelain - Poem in French

Sur une petite île dans les Caraïbes
Vit une rose de porcelain
Dans son royaume vert et archaïque
Règne cette merveilleuse dame!

Sans courtisans ni serviteurs
Pour garder sa compagnie
Mais des milliers de progénitures
Garderont la mémoire de sa vie

Cette reine de la beauté et de la grâce
Garde son coeur si triste et si calme
Quand il pleut elle ne montre pas sa disgrâce
Elle est une femme pas plus ou moins!

Dans les tempêtes ou les ouragans
Elle garde sa foi si forte
Et dans ses bras si élégants
Elle offre toujours du réconfort.


 


Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Saint-Pierre, Martinique: The Sleeping Beauty


By Pierre-Olivier Jay

A century after the eruption of Mt. Pelee, the former "Little Paris of the West Indies" has not regained its former glory. It is still only marginally developed. This is perhaps what makes this pretty little sleepy town so charming.

MAY IN SAINT-PIERRE

The month of May in St-Pierre is punctuated by celebrations, commemorations, and festivities. And for good reason, on May 22, 1848, the Martinican slaves took their liberty even before slavery was officially abolished, and half a century later, on May 8, 1902, the city was entirely destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Pelee. These days of celebrations are all the more important in a city where, apart from a modest museum, few things allow the visitor to imagine the size of St-Pierre before the disaster. Here, it is not like in Herculaneum or Pompeii, where the bodies are frozen in time from the moment of their death. If the memory of the 30,000 inhabitants who disappeared in 1902 has not been lost, the visitor must reconstruct it from clues scattered throughout the city.


THE LITTLE PARIS OF THE WEST INDIES

St-Pierre is only the shadow of its past. It takes a good dose of imagination to plunge back into it. The city was a beacon and a cultural and economic capital of the 19th century West Indies. Its streetlights illuminated the streets with electricity, a line of horse-drawn streetcars circulated its elevated streets and, from 1879, they boasted a "vitascope," the first cinema of the French colonies. While today the heat is often overwhelming, in those days, this spa town was crossed by multiple channels of fresh-flowing mountain spring water that refreshed the atmosphere. On the industrial front, rum and sugar were the treasures of the city. Today there are 16 distilleries and their know-how is legendary throughout the Caribbean. Through this port, valuable commodities were shipped between South America and North America, including cocoa, orange wine (vin d'orange), indigo, cassava, and pineapple.

The city was a mythical stop for sailors, attracted by its festive and frivolous nightlife. At dusk, more than a hundred cabarets and pubs come to life. They became the cradle of a new kind of music known as "biguine." The libertine atmosphere was described in one of the only novels from that time, "Nuit d’Orgie à St-Pierre" (Night of Orgy in St. Pierre). The opera house was the pride of the bekes, the white Antillean aristocracy, of which St-Pierre is the capital. The city is also the seat of 11 of the 15 Martinique newspapers of the time. They dealt mainly with politics, one of the West Indian people's burning passions.

ELECTORAL FEVER AND SCIENCE WITHOUT CONSCIENCE

On April 27, 1902, the first round of elections was tight between the two candidates. Industrialist Fernand Clerc, a progressive candidate of the Democratic Republican Alliance, obtained 4,496 votes and his opponent, Louis Percin, Radical-Socialist candidate, 4,167 votes. Overlooking the city, the volcano known as Mount Pelee awakened for a bit and then erupted on April 20. First a lake appeared in the dry crater lake, and then the White River showed unusual flow variations. On April 30, earthquakes shook the city. They were accompanied by phreatic explosions, steam-blast eruptions caused by the sudden increase of temperature of the superficial waters surrounding the volcano and the extremely hot magma reservoir. From May 2, ashes began to fall on the city, then a mudslide overtook the Guérin distillery, taking Pelée's first victims.
For the elite of the city, despite these signs and a panic among the residents, it was vital to mobilize voters for the second round of voting on May 11. It would never happen. Due north of St-Pierre the island has little to no access to the rest of the island. The only way to escape by sea, but by then it was impossible. But the authorities continued to reassure the public and a pseudo-scientific commission published a report that concluded, "St-Pierre is no more in danger at the foot of the volcano than Naples is at the foot of Vesuvius." The governor of Martinique, Louis Mouttet, previously stationed in Cayenne, arrived in the city with his wife, hoping to calm the agitated crowd.


From May 5, the situation escalated at the crater. The magma reached the surface, glowing rocks are thrown from the crater, a mudslide engulfed part of Precheur, taking 400 victims during the night of May 7 to 8. The inhabitants were never informed.

On the morning of May 8, the city of St-Pierre was calm. The clouds around the mountain obscure the town. A ship, le Diament, leaves curiously a few minutes before the tragedy. Some also speak of a ship, the Grappler, which was loaded shortly before the disappearance of the city, with all the fortune of the Martinique aristocracy. But until this day it is still a mystery. 

At 8:02 am, as the mass ends in town, a pyroclastic flow, a cloud of hot gas carrying debris of all sizes, reaches St. Pierre in less than a minute. In addition to the heat of the cloud, which reached 500 ° F, the shock wave and the inhalation of gases and ashes caused instant death for the town's 30,000 inhabitants. The passage of this deadly cloud triggered a fire in rum stocks. For three days, the city burned. But the apocalyptic vision of the rubble photographed is in fact the result of the seven fiery clouds that fell on the city until August 30, 1902.



SAINT-PIERRE IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, THE MAL-AIMÉE

If many people saw this cataclysm as divine punishment for the dissolute lifestyle and the mores of the time and a particularly libertine carnival season, for the scientific community it was the beginning of contemporary volcanology. An observatory was set up by volcanologist Alfred Lacroix, who investigated the eruption. He analyzed the phenomenon of the pyroclastic flows, whose process of volcanic eruption took the name "Pelean". This eruption remains in volcanology a reference  to explosive eruptions accompanied by viscous flows. Since the last eruption of the volcano in 1929, underground activity has been continuously monitored by the Morne des Cadets Observatory, which houses one of the largest seismographs in the world.

The city of St. Pierre was never fully rebuilt. At the time, it was losing its dominance to Fort-de-France, favored by its central location and better port facilities. In the 20th century, Martinique no longer wishes to look north; the trauma and tragedy are still palpable. The ruins of the old city are everywhere, but they are left to crumble.

20,000 LEAGUES UNDER SAINT-PIERRE

St-Pierre is now rich in its underwater heritage. The discovery of the wrecks of the many ships that were in the bay on May 8, 1902 is an unexpected treasure trove for the city.
Jacques-Yves Imbert arrived in 1981. He lives with his family in a small white house several feet from the bay. A pioneer of scuba diving, he founded a diving club. He relates, "In May 1977, Mayor Jean Bally and Michel Metery declared themselves" "inventors" of all the wrecks, but they were already known to fishermen. Since then, diving, especially in wrecks like the mythical Roraïma, one of the first big steamers, is one of the main assets of the city."

A "CITY OF ART AND HISTORY" VALUED AT LAST?

After acquiring the prestigious label "City of Art and History" in 1990, cultural projects are waiting to emerge. Archaeologists are also working on excavating sites, bringing with them their share of new discoveries. In September 2015, David Earle, an American screenwriter, received the Best Screenplay for "Pelee" at the Monrovia International Film Festival in California. It tells the story of the tragedy of 1902. Will the exceptional destiny of St-Pierre be rediscovered on the screens of cinemas through an American super-production? That remains to be seen.

Guagin's interpretation of St. Pierre bay.





Hello Young Soldier of the Vietnam War - A Poem

Hello young soldier of the Vietnam War
What guides your noble swagger
In these dreadful foreign shores?
The courage of your mocking stance
Is not mere vanity
It shows your pride, your bravery
Your pure humanity!
Hello young Marine of the Vietnam War
What guides your fearsome prowess
In the jungles you explore?
Your boots, your rifle, are all you possess
In these tumultuous of days
They cannot hide your burning soul
A fire that’s set ablaze!
And in your sweat-drenched chest
There beats a heart of finest gold
Forged in the battles of Bunker Hill
Of Lexington and Concord
The breath of Freedom guides you now
And will until the end
I pray it guides you ever more
For on your courage we depend!






Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Why I Wrote a Disaster Thriller-and Why I Would Do it Again!




A few years ago, the writer Karen Dionne wrote an article for the Huffington Post about why she would never write a disaster thriller. Among the reasons she gives is that during a terrible disaster, the situation deteriorates to the point where the story cannot end well. She thinks the final confrontation with the villain (in whatever form), must be violent. She says, "Readers have limits when it comes to the amount of violence they'll tolerate in fiction." But at their heart, disaster thrillers are stories about survival amidst impossible odds. As readers, we want to experience the dangers our heroes are forced to confront. We want to see ordinary people braving impossible odds. Think of Rose and Jack adrift in the freezing ocean in "Titanic". Or Ernest Shackleton and his brave crew struggling to survive in the frozen wasteland of Antarctica. As readers, we want to see ordinary people braving impossible odds. The need for this is so great it is almost embedded in our DNA.





When I set out to write ISLAND ON FIRE, a disaster thriller set during the eruption of Mount Pelée that destroyed the city of St. Pierre, Martinique, I knew the story had to be based on individuals fighting for survival. Disasters thrillers like “Titanic”, “Dante’s Peak”, "Pompeii" and “The Day after Tomorrow" make for the most compelling drama because they are a microcosm of our own struggles. Disaster can strike at any moment, and in the end we have only ourselves to rely on. The government is not going to rush in and save us. The violence can be quick, indiscriminate, and brutal. The chances for survival may be minimal at best. The responses of the characters can show the widest range of human emotions possible: from calm to irrational, fearful to stoic, depraved to heroic. In the end, like the characters in these disaster thrillers, we have to use our wits to shape our own destinies. We have to find our own way out of danger. 
In the dungeon of Ludger Sylbaris, one of the few people to survive the catastrophic eruption of Mount Pelee in Martinique that destroyed the city of St. Pierre in 1902.

Whether we like it or not, disasters are part of the human experience. Since time immemorial mankind has been ravaged by hurricanes, volcanoes, tsunamis, cyclones, earthquakes, wars, and shipwrecks. Yet we persevere. Resilience is built into our shared human condition. Countless people have suffered sweeping tragedies yet find the will to go on. They rebuild from the wreckage and sometimes find redemption in the process. This is our shared heritage. What makes each story so fascinating are the individual tales of perseverance and triumph in the face of adversity. A disaster is not just about destruction; it’s about people fighting for survival without losing their basic humanity. Disasters teach us to look for our inner strengths and goodness despite the odds against us. A kindness and a favor rendered to another human being at the height of a disaster can bring redemption in ways nothing else can.



I believe disaster stories remind us of what’s truly important. Think of those final brief phone calls made from the Twin Towers on 9/11. Or those desperate passengers on Flight 93 knowing their self-sacrifice will save many more lives on the ground. Helping and comforting our fellow man in a moment of peril is one of the most selfless acts a person can render. Disasters show us the great depths to which humans can sink, but also the great heights at which they can soar. This is something we can all learn from. Without disasters there can be no heroes. And heroes are what inspire us to be better people. Sometimes it takes a disaster of epic proportions to remind us of that.




Treat yourself to ISLAND ON FIRE, the untold story of the Pompeii of the Caribbean. Paperback version $10.99 and e-book version $3.99.

Monday, March 26, 2018

Pourquoi la France Compte


L'Amérique ne devrait pas laisser la France tomber au Globalisme et au Jihadisme



La France est comme un miroir à travers lequel nous (les Américains) pouvons nous voir. Nos deux cultures sont dissemblables mais complémentaire. Nous buvons de la bière; les Français boivent du vin. Nous sommes décontractés les Français sont formels. Nous vivons pour le travail alors que les Français vivent pour le plaisir. Nous prétendons comprendre les affaires de cœur tandis que les Français sont les maîtres incontestés en la matière. Ce qui ne fait que nous les aimer plus. Ou les comprendre moins. Et ainsi nous avons coexisté pendant 242 ans dans un état d'incompréhension mutuelle et d'épisodes d'admiration occasionnels. Parfois en même temps.


Comme vendredi dernier, lorsqu'un terroriste ayant des liens avec l'Etat islamique a détourné un véhicule dans le sud de la France, il a tué plusieurs personnes lorsqu'il a tiré sur des flics, puis pris des otages dans un supermarché avant d'être abattu. On apprit plus tard qu'un gendarme, le colonel Arnaud Beltrame, l'incarnation même de TOUT CE QUI EST BON ET VERTUEUX SUR LA FRANCE, s'offrit au tireur extrémiste en échange d'un otage et fut plus tard abattu à la gorge. On ne peut s'empêcher d'admirer la bravoure et le courage de ce gendarme en se grattant la tête devant la réaction du président français Macron, choqué, CHOQUÉ que le tireur ait acquis son arme dans un pays aux lois strictes sur les armes à feu. Peu importe que la France soit le troisième plus grand exportateur d'armes au monde, culminant avec une récente vente d'armes à l'Arabie Saoudite et aux Emirats Arabes Unis d'une valeur de 45 milliards d'euros (55,45 milliards de dollars). Les Américains se grattent la tête à cette obtuse française caractéristique: les criminels se moquent des lois sur les armes à feu.

Mais parfois, nous nous regardons dans le miroir et l'image devient trouble, comme lorsque les Américains commencent à agir plus français que les Français. Je pense ici aux récentes protestations des étudiants pour des lois plus strictes sur le contrôle des armes à feu.

Le grand politologue et historien français, Alexis de Tocqueville, a dit un jour: «La grandeur de l'Amérique ne consiste pas à être plus éclairée que n'importe quelle autre nation, mais plutôt dans sa capacité à réparer ses fautes. travaillé dans le passé. Si cela nous manque maintenant, c'est parce que nous avons regardé dans le miroir de la France et essayé de l'imiter au lieu de simplement l'admirer. Je ne sais pas ce que la France voit quand elle se regarde dans le miroir de l'Amérique, mais si elle continue sur cette voie de la globalisation, la chance de l'auto-réflexion sera perdue. L'Amérique perdra notre meilleur, et peut-être seulement, l'occasion de s'auto-réfléchir. Comment l'Amérique peut-elle être l'Amérique s'il n'y a pas de France à laquelle se comparer?

L'affaire Dreyfus était un microcosme d'une démocratie vacillant au bord du despotisme par un cadre intégré d'agents de l'État profond. La République n'a été sauvée qu'à la dernière minute par une bande de citoyens loyaux qui ont exercé des pressions sur le gouvernement pour qu'il rende justice à l'idée du républicanisme et des idéaux de la Mère Patrie. C'est peut-être un miroir de nos propres luttes internes avec l'intention profonde d'un État profond de renverser notre président légitimement élu alors que nos jeunes défilent dans les rues pour demander l'abrogation du 2e amendement. Peut-être sont-ils trop jeunes pour se souvenir du massacre de Charlie Hebdo et de la vue du flic français désarmé qui plaide pour sa vie avant de se faire tirer une balle dans la tête. Ils marchent toujours et exigent des contrôles plus stricts. La France doit sûrement se voir un peu d'elle-même dans cette charade de «droits de l'homme» et frémir. Ou est-ce l'inverse? Nous voyons-nous dans ce siège terroriste dans le sud de la France et frissonnons?

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Why France Matters

America should not let France fall to Globalism and Jihadism

France is like a mirror through which we can see ourselves. Our two cultures are dissimilar yet complementary. We drink beer; the French drink wine. We are casual; the French are formal. We live for work while the French live for pleasure. We pretend to understand les affairs de coeur while the French make no pretenses about their expertise in this matter. Which only makes us love them more. Or misunderstand them more. And thus we have coexisted for 242 years in a state of mutual misunderstanding and occasional bouts of admiration. Sometimes at the same time.


Eiffel Tower: public domain image.

Like on March 23, 2018, when a terrorist with ties to ISIS carjacked a vehicle in southern France, killed several people when he fired at cops, and then took hostages in a supermarket before being shot dead. It was later learned that a gendarme, Col. Arnaud Beltrame, the very epitome of all that is good about France, offered himself up to the extremist gunman in exchange for a hostage and was later shot in the throat. We cannot help but admire the bravery and courage of this gendarme while scratching our heads at the reaction of French President Macron, who is shocked, shocked, that the gunman acquired his weapon in a country with strict gun laws. Never mind that France is the world’s third-biggest arms exporter, culminating in a recent arms sale to Saudi Arabia and the UAE worth 45 billion euros ($55.45 billion). 

Americans scratch their heads at this characteristic French obtuseness: criminals don’t care about gun laws.

Col. Arnaud Beltrame Photo: LA GAZETTE DE LA MANCHE / AFP

But sometimes we look in the mirror and the picture gets cloudy, such as when Americans start acting more French than the French. I am thinking here of the recent protests by students for stricter gun control laws.

The great French political scientist and historian, Alexis de Tocqueville, once said, “The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.” 

Our self-correcting fault mechanism has always worked in the past. If it fails us now, it is because we look in the mirror of France and try to emulate her instead of just admiring her. I do not know what France sees when she looks in the mirror of America, but if she continues down this path of globalism, the chance for self-reflection will be lost. America will lose our best, and possibly only, chance for self-reflection. How can America be America if there is no France to compare itself to?

The Dreyfus Affair was a microcosm of a Democracy teetering on the brink of despotism by an embedded cadre of Deep State operatives. The Republic was only saved at the last minute by a band of loyal citizens who pressured the government for justice, keeping alive the idea of Republicanism and the ideals of la Mère Patrie. It is perhaps a mirror of our own internal struggles with an embedded Deep State criminal cabal intent on overthrowing our rightfully elected president while our young people march in the streets demanding a repeal of the 2nd Amendment.

Perhaps they are too young to remember the Charlie Hebdo massacre and the sight of the unarmed French cop on the ground pleading for his life before being shot in the head. Still they march and demand tighter gun controls. Surely France must see a little of herself in this “human rights” charade and shudder. Or is it the reverse? Do we see ourselves in that terroristic siege in Southern France and shudder?

Saturday, January 6, 2018

Island on Fire is now HOT & TRENDING on Kindle Scout

Dear Friends,
My newest novel, Island on Fire, is now Hot & Trending on Kindle Scout. It's an exciting new volcano thriller. Can't tell you how pleased and excited I am. If you haven't already nominated it, please do so and you will automatically receive a free ebook copy if it's selected. For a chance to win a free signed paperback, please leave a comment on this blog post.
Thank you so much!! *heart emoji*

https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/36K3M12FSG7S9