We’ve asked a few of the authors of standout poems for our That’s So Miami project to explain the inspiration behind their work. Find the winners of our contest and more entries here.
I’m from Miami
Can you say that?
Not many can
Some came by raft
The water’s warm
The people mostly cold
By wearing limited clothes
They can be very bold
English often coming
after Spanish, spoken first
Even Creole is common
and some Patois interspersed
Our fans of sports
Are loyal to the teams
Yet only when
they’re winning, it seems
These are the things
You will only see
Here in this city because
That’s SO Miami!
I immediately became motivated to write this poem when I heard of the open submission because I have spontaneously been writing poems for many years. They come to me naturally, without much thought. Usually they’re of matters of the heart; however, with me being born, raised, and still living in Miami, I guess Miami is also in my heart to a certain extent. Not many people can say they were born here and actually still live here. Most Miamians originated from elsewhere on the globe, and many who originated here have left; therefore, I consider myself a dying breed. What backs this up is when I meet people and they ask where I’m from… when I say “Miami”, they’re often shocked.
This poem is pretty self-explanatory. Sadly many Miamians come off as “cold” to others, or as in the words of many, straight up rude. Although we’re located in the south, if judged by manners on the street, in restaurants, and on the road, we’re nothing like the south. We are a diverse little nation of our own, very foreign in a myriad of ways, often unrecognizable as part of America, and for that reason, it’s easy to have a plethora of poems that can begin or end with “That’s so Miami”.