Poem: Where are you now?

L.A., my beautiful City

Like a blooming lily

I hear the sounds of the streets

Like a party beat

I hear the language coursing through my brain

Like a calm stream in the rain

L.A., my beautiful City

There is graffiti and poverty

But we still live in liberty

We come together to be free

With welcome, joy and glee

L.A., my beautiful City

Sirens ring in a loop

and people shoot

families run away from a gang

and all you here is a loud bang

L.A., my beautiful City

The smell of the taco trucks steam

Like a bright colorful beam

I see the Mexican flag flapping with the air

And the sunset align with downtown shining in your hair

L.A., my beautiful City

There are no stars in the night

But Downtown is our only sight

Diversity is what we are

Like the colorful people in the cultural bar

L.A., my beautiful City

Music can be heard miles away

From the hood, that’s when people start to sway

Screaming and anger

And sometimes there is danger

L.A., my beautiful City

Food is so juicy and tasty

And it is not so hasty

The palm trees are our natural monument

Inside our traditional mexican tent

L.A., my beautiful City

Everyone is an artist

And also the smartest

We are dreamers

And believers

L.A., my beautiful City

Why are you changing?

And why are we raging?

Why are stereotypical white men,women and

children moving in?

This is our hood and not an inn.

L.A., my beautiful City

Colors are flying away

When the rich man comes to stay

It gentrification is like their orientation

And they came to their destination

L.A., my beautiful City

Please don’t go

If not we will go

You’re the only place that keeps us alive

L.A. is where we thrive

L.A., my beautiful City

You are our only hope

Clean them up with a bar of soap

Bring those colors back

If not we will attack

L.A., my beautiful City

You are the honey and we are the bees

You are the ocean and we are the seas

We don’t want to be sad

All we want is to be glad

L.A., my beautiful City

Change so we can stay

And not to throw us away

Change for the good

And to fix our hood

L.A., my beautiful City

You’re the universe in our veins

And all we give you is vibrant stains

We are Mexicans, we are Chicano’s

We are neighbors and we are paisano’s

L.A., my beautiful city

Are you lost under that white washed shirt?

Under the dark, horrifying dirt

What happened to your hue

It was like the sky, so blue

You are raging like thunder

Like a savage plunder

And this is where I start to wonder

L.A., my beautiful City

…

Where are you now?