Bloomington

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.