Keep Portland Weird

I wrote this for a local contest. My family thinks it's totally "commercial" but I liked it. I love this town.

Pettygrove's new Portland has westerly grown
With thanks that The Clearing is Stumptown now known
On Willamette's tribute from Columbia's cascading creek
Between Hood, St. Helens, Rainier, Adams and Jefferson's peaks
 
At Saturday Market you'll find Sunday's best
Or find Washington's park blooming it's rosiest fest
Santacon may only come once every year
But there's more than the playa to continue the cheer

 

We'll make a brew or a shoe or create timeless fine art
Just check the Weather Machine before visiting Lewis & Clark
A hike would be bliss after a biofueled ride
Through the Gorge from the Falls to McMenamin's pride
 
Play a patchouli scented symphony for rainbows and drums
For martial arts and yoga and now the time comes
To enjoy hazelnuts roasted with coffee bean sighs
And watch the sun sinking over northwestern skies

Reviews

[Raef C. Boylan]

I found it fairly commercial too; I think that's the unavoidable effect of an AABB rhyme scheme in a 'local poem'. However, you made an effort to really convey the scenes depicted for us [I was recently published in a 'local poems' anthology, and when reading it through it, you come across the same cliches again and again...which you've avoided here] with descriptive language and an overall affectionate portrait.
Nice work. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Did it do well in the contest?

I like this. It was like a mini tour! I thought this is a good poem.

[Your Tasty Field Adviso..]

this poem is very good. it's hard to find poetry with this kind of feeling in it (for me anyway). it's put together very well. i really do like it.