Performing in The Vagina Monologues
One of the pieces, performed by Marcelin,
was "Hair", which begins: ‘You cannot love a vagina unless you love hair’ and deals with the dilemma of a woman whose husband insisted she shave her pubic hair.
Her other monologue "Crooked Braid", is about the struggle of a Native American woman. Marcelin recounts a tale of abuse from her husband and finally decides to cut off his braid, his mark of pride, while he sleeps. At one point she describes the sensation of being slapped across the face as "not a blast that knocks your eyes blue- that came later.." and ends with her declaring:
"They took our land,
they took our ways
they took our men.
We want them back."
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Michèle Voltaire Marcelin is a poet/writer, performer and painter who was born and raised in Haiti, sojourned in Chile, and currently lives in the United States. The publication of her first novel “La Désenchantée” (CIDIHCA, Montréal-2006) was followed by its Spanish translation “La Desencantada” and two other books of poetry and prose: “Lost and Found” and “Amours et Bagatelles” (CIDIHCA, Montréal-2009) - translated into Spanish by Editorial ALBA as "Amores y cosas sin importancia" - all of which garnered rave reviews. Her writings are also featured in 3 anthologies published in France: "Cahier Haiti" (published by RAL'M-2009), "Terre de Femmes" (Editions Bruno Doucey-2011) "Revue Intranqu'îllités" (2012). She speaks and writes fluently French, English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. She has a BFA from the Leonard Davis Center for the Performing Arts at CUNY and a Masters from The New School for Social Research.
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