AN ODE TO MY CITY
By Shane Cota
I began to wonder
If this pandemic had finally done it.
Did the closures finally cause our city to become extinct
Like the dinosaurs.
As I walked through the vacant streets
The fossils I came across were none other than the bars I used to frequent. Empty lots. A rare silence.
And it was then that I wrote my poem
An Ode To My City
I miss the visible lifeline of my city
The pedicab drivers, whisking people to and from
While the passengers laugh into the night
The couples, holding hands as they stroll about
Friends walking to an evening out, as they enjoy conversation
The scent of roasted beans trickling out of the café’s so rich that you can taste it
The aroma of the panaderia
That reminds me of sitting at my tia’s table
The city bus stop, packed with people coming in and out of the city
The hustle and bustle
You turn a corner and an artist is painting a mural
A creative is holding a photo shoot in the street,
Someone plays music in the park
You peek into the window of the salon as you see hair flowing beneath a blow dryer as the Picasso’s of hair tend to their muses
The concierge, welcomes crowds into the hotel
The air is filled with the fragrance of the meticulously prepared meals, from the local eateries
The sustenance that will keep you filled through the evening
And as you pass the open doors of the discotheque you see the pulsing neon lights and feel the vibration from the beat of the music
I miss dancing on a dance floor beneath the dj booth asking his musical godliness to spin my favorite song
It is both gritty and chic
It is the heartbeat of the city
And I can’t wait for the return of those days
When life is flourishing again
You see, life will find a way. As long as there is hope (Esperanza!)
Our hope will keep our spirits alive. The people of San Jose have a spirit of resilience and perseverance. It runs like a river, through our veins.
A spirit that reminds us
“Si Se Puede!”
