In one of her poems, Los Angeles's unofficial poet laureate Wanda Coleman once said of her city:
...to love this turf is love hard and unrequited. Is to be a constant
trick, a constant victim of the dry screw. Is to never be quite satisfied on
deeper levels. Is to always be hungry.
Hungry for the sweet love promised.
Whether setting the tone for the the Beats movement in Venice, or shedding new light on the Los Angeles River, poetry has been a way of connecting to and making sense of Los Angeles. Last April, in honor of National Poetry Month, we celebrated the poets and artists who have connected with Departures, by highlighting a poem a day. We also to encouraged community members such as yourself to share their words, beats, licks, and poems about Los Angeles. We extend that invitation today, as an ongoing opportunity to celebrate our city in verse. Feel free to submit yours here and make sure to find out what other poets have to say in either the recent community submissions or the National Poetry Month calendar, both featured below.
Click an image below to read poems from the community.
National Poetry Month was initiated by the Academy of American Poets in order to "highlight the extraordinary legacy and achievement of American poets." At Departures, we have had the opportunity to interview many Los Angeles based poets, but we know there are still more out there.
Our calendar below features a poem for each day in April from the Departures installments, the student producers of Youth Voices, StoryShare participants, and from special guest poets.
Departures is collecting your poems about Los Angeles to add to the collection from neighborhoods. If you have any troubles any submitting your poem or have any questions, email us.
Support for the Departures is provided through these funders as well as local community partners and viewers like you.
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THE NEXT CHAPTER FOR THE GREAT WALL OF LOS ANGELES
The Great Wall of Los Angeles has been a work in progress since its inception, and plans for its growth include extending the story from the 1950s into the 1990s.
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THROUGH THE COMMUNITY'S EYES: PERCEPTIONS OF THE GREAT WALL
The value of the mural is evident through the eyes of the growingly diverse local community. Neighbors have a personal connection to a particular panel's story or have grown up with it, learning and sharing the lessons the mural has to offer.
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NEW VOICES: NEW FACES IN LOS ANGELES MURALISM
Today, young artists inspired by SPARC and other pioneering muralists are continuing the legacy of muralism in Los Angeles with new avenues of approach.
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RESTORATION OF THE GREAT WALL OF LOS ANGELES
More than 25 years later, Judith Baca and SPARC returned to the Great Wall, to restore its luster after years of fading in the summer and beaten by the waters of the Tujunga Wash.
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