A Poem for Manteca
I wonder who first loved this land Manteca
Research tells me it was the Miwok and The Yokuts
Who are not long gone I know
I make seed bead crafts with them in Stockton We make medicine bags and Break bread
And it is an honor.
I want to know more but I’m Unsure of how to tell them ‘Thank you’ And
‘I’m sorry’
And as an appointed Poet,
One who speaks words into art
One who sees things as they should be I do not take this lightly to share my Words with you today about this land that I love
And I’m not here to shame but To paint
A picture for you Of What I see
Let me tell you what I love about this city Its Country roads full of mystery and life Fruit stands and farm hands I love the old buildings that still brand downtown
I often daydream about what this historical area looked like Long before Cowell
And the Cows
And honestly,
I love the cows, too
Ive driven up and down this state and see what cows endure For us Without a second thought From us But
I digress
What I love most About this city
Is winding down Lathrop road on the northeast outskirts Seeing what special Friends the farmers have kept
Rows on Rows of Orchard Trees Cherry Blossoms Warm nights With a mid Summer Breeze
What I love about my city
Is the sunsets and the skyline Manteca
Like Butter
Melts into the night Like a masterpiece
A work of art the Universe And galaxies
Spilled onto the earth For me
Look off into the distance and
We don't see towering buildings layered with lights or slow rocking Beaches at midnight Its
The Valley
Trains sing us lullabies
The night bring waves of coyote cries
Driving up Union road at just the right time from French Camp You can see we are the pinnacle of the San Joaquin
From the dawn of creation’s devil-peaks Tuysktak to the west And our beloved Awhanee to the east Center Stage Manteca Misnamed
Some times
I've mistaken this place For paradise
Its loveliness,
though some times hard to see Is not wasted on me
For These eyes
Are distracted daily by
The layered clouds that never say goodbye The purple pink skies of June and July They say you can tell A lot about a city by
The way its people love the land Lets love our land, Manteca! Take a walk with me through Manteca streets You will see what is working And where there are needs Together
Together is better than to Reject thy brother
Because he is unhoused Because she is depressed Because they are just different.
Together, with love
Let Manteca rise above
The microaggressions and old mindsets That divide us.
Let love and knowledge liberate us To use care
To be gentle To self-reflect To accept
This is a call to community For unity
Someone once said In art
On a wall
Let us rise above the differences that divide us Manteca Will you answer the call?