Bloomington
A small city cradled between Riverside and Fontana,
Sometimes quiet but often needy.
Like a child running back and forth
Between two noisy parents.
I drive through constricted and dusty streets
Where two lane highways and meek residents meet.
Trucks haul cargo while horseback riders and taco carts
Bloom amidst the smog and haze.
Deep within a maze of modest and tired looking houses,
Rests a quiet sanctuary of trees and man-made lakes.
Green Acres, my destination.
Home to many, peaceful refuge.
I drive through industrial roads Below
while warehouses and trucks
Glare at me from all sides.
As cruel but as natural as ocean tides.
In the hills Above, towering and luxurious houses
Pierce the smoggy air and
Frown at a pearlescent sky.
These houses cough while the sky breathes Pale pinks and bright blues
down on my Bloomington.
In Green Acres, flowers bloom in abundance.
They grow in well-kept gardens
Kept alive by the families from the tired houses.
My best friend lives in Green Acres.
In Bloomington, the steely hub buzzing with
Taco cart bells, fresh grilled corn smells,
And Flowers which bloomed and fell.
I've arrived at my destination.
Rolling green hills smile at the pearlescent sky.
This is where the industrial closes its eyes.
A place for those who lived to die.
I bring pale pink lilies and bright blue roses
To bloom on my best friend's grave.
Thank you for being my blooming flower
Amidst the cold, the gray, the steel frowns of life.
Rest in Peace in Bloomington,
Bloom forever with my love within.
Dedicated to Gabriela Franquez, 3/6/1991 to 10/11/2016.
