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.
Green sequin bikini.
Purple hair and skinny.
Red lipped.
Boob equipped.
Blue high heeled kid.
I saw it, I did.
Thats so Miami.
I was having lunch at Books & Books, which is like a front seat at a fast-past paced parade of impromptu, in-the-moment theater. Then there she/he was coming towards me. First there was the sequin sparkle, purple hair in the sunlight, bright colors of many flavors. Then the sheer audaciousness, the saucy runway walk, every head turning. I saw it, I didn’t hear it, but I could have, a huge church-like chorus of “That’s So Miami”
The heat and beach allow for a freedom of body exposure for which Miami’s reputation as a playground is enhanced. I came here from New York, where, as an artist, my eye was trained to spot the unexpected and to relish in it. I am now an artist with a studio at Art/Center on Lincoln Road. I have seen it grow from desperation to a Boardwalk of Everything is Possible, a colorful melange of tourists and residents from all places provide a backdrop to inspiration.
Many of us who live here, especially on the beach, like the urban edge and non-conformity. Miami, with its Latin and international flavor, is a place where surprises are to be expected.
No explanation is needed if one person who lives in Miami says to another “that’s so Miami.” My poem came from that “being in the know.”
