An Ode to Long Beach
Quaint studio 7 blocks from the beach became my temporary home
Quarantine walks to the lagoon for an afternoon roam
The jackass neighbor who revs his engine after midnight
The illegal fireworks set off at odd hours startle me awake at night
The sirens of an ambulance speeding by
The unseen stars in the sky blinded by the city lights
Another homeless passerby rummaging through the dumpster
The smell of smoke and haziness in the air signals another wildfire
Toes in the sand, sound of the ocean waves, and sun kissed skin; a California girls’ desire
Long Beach, I love you and LA, the land of dreams — I claim to hate you; I’m a liar
I felt most at home protesting with the masses on the street
Black Lives Still Matter and oh, FUCK Long Beach police
Gusty winds and light rain tapping on my window pane
Hot summers of nightly sweats and cold winters with the covers over my head
The pet hospital on PCH where I put my cat down is the one place I dread
The aroma of spices from a home cooked meal to soothing indie sounds topped with a glass of wine
Unabashedly naked dancing around like no one is watching
Laughing out loud in silence heard by my neighbors through these thin walls
The vintage shops on 4th revived my love for fashion
Best ice cream shop in town tasted sweeter than sexual passion
The sunlight gives me a warm welcome in the morning
The sun saved me from pandemic mourning
Nightly bellowing on the bathroom floor
Red wine — my new sleeping ritual
I’ll have a second pour
Fatigue and headaches from zoom screens
My studio on redondo — the haven of my whimsical daydreams
A cup of hot herbal tea from the kettle became my remedy
Unpacking trauma from distant but like it was yesterday memories
All 500 square feet became the location to call my own
This is where my inner child came out of hiding to roam
You see, Long Beach, you are the city where my sense of self came alive when I thought I had already died
I call you my city of rebirth
Peeled back the layers — an immaculate woman to unearth
Unrecognizable from the stranger-woman who left Fort Worth
Long Beach, I love you
I bid you adieu
