Oh Ramona
The sun rises high
In the cerulean sky
The wind comes like manna
Out of Santa Ana
The brown weed field
Naught but thorns does yield
In the one-story houses
The ungrateful one grouses
Pool parties and a picnic feast
Friends come from north and east
Catching pollywogs and crayfish
Riding horses our greatest wish
I dream of being a writer
Not knowing I must be a fighter
Eucalyptus trees line the street
Dust devils you’re likely to meet
Nothing of substance to export
Not even our own airport
Painted on the town water tower
A lovely field of wildflower
There I found the lover of my soul
He who one day would make me whole
The sun and drought did conspire
To destroy weed fields by wildfire
That same sun sure did bless
So we’d wear shorts and Ts for dress
Bathing suits were all the rage
If only there I’d come of age
Riding bikes so innocent
To school and library we went
The most notable person in town
Was my dad who I seldom saw frown
He loved to pull our travel trailer
I think it reminded him of being a sailor
It sat out the picture window pane
And was more fun than flying by plane
Once again the wildfires burn
The news says for a good rain we yearn
I had a pen pal from Bangladesh
Suriman Bang was her name so fresh
I don’t remember what we wrote
And so I cannot share a quote
But I wonder if we talked of the unicorn
Or the day that Bigfoot was born
Did I share my favorite children’s tale
Where the Wild Things Are, when I sent her mail
Or Mystery in the Night Woods
Where Flying Squirrel hid in alley backwoods
Just beyond the border of town
You heard the sounds of animals die down
As evening gave way to dusk and night
At the Wild Animal Park all was right
I know not yet the meaning of fear
But bask in this sweet security dear
After I had moved away
A friend sent a postcard to say
With a picture of a sign that does endear
Wish you were still here
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The NaPoWriMo Day 16 prompt called for answering a series of Almanac questions and then using the answers to fashion a poem. I decided to write a poem about my childhood hometown of Ramona, California. I answered each of the questions and decided to leave all the answers as a series of thoughts about my life in that town.
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I enjoyed this poem. It feels like I am really there in that place and time. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks. It was fun to go back there to write this.
Linda, this is very clever! It has taken me awhile to come by and ‘visit’ since meeting you with Cornelia at the Writer’s Connection meeting in March. We have something in common (besides poetry!) I was born and raised in Orange County–beach towns and inland. Something about that California girl in us always seeps out.
Well done.
Thanks for stopping by. I love the connections made via the Faith & Culture group. And it’s true – I think once a California girl, always a California girl, though I haven’t lived there since I was 12. I look forward to seeing you at a future writers connection, though I don’t think I’ll be able to make it this week because of other commitments.