April was National Poetry Month and the San Antonio River Authority celebrated with a Writers Take a Walk event along the San Pedro Creek Culture Park.
The River Authority’s public art curator, Carrie Brown, senior engineer, Christine Clayton, and Brand & Public Communications interim manager, Nicole Marshall, joined a handful of poets, nature lovers, and history buffs on Saturday, April 23, for a tour of the Culture Park.
The group explored Phase 1.1 that opened in 2018 and donned hard hats and safety vests for a sneak peek at Phase 1.2, scheduled to open in the fall 2022. After a walk through art, around nature, and across time, the writers gathered at Casa Navarro and set down to express their inspiration.
Jo Guerra enjoyed the writing exercise as much as the physical excursion – as she exemplifies in her poem.
Ahh, the San Pedro Creek – by Jo Guerra
Under an umbrella of oak trees
at historic Casa Navarro socializing, eating,
enjoying the breeze of a cool April
after exploring the San Pedro Creek.
Ahh, the San Pedro Creek
A place I’ve driven by
on the streets above.
Today I meandered the river,
learned and walked – good for my brain,
good for my soul at my senior age.
The Street Angel accompanied us
silently reminding to be kind –
what a concept present-day.
Native stone, water lilies, water grasses,
twelve colorful benches
adorned with Talavera inspired designs.
The Creek Lines sculpture
represents 300 years of San Antonio
with squiggly silver poles
topped by a reflective triangle-segmented canopy.
History detailed with colorful murals
portray we are all joined.
Work stopped by archeological finds until continued.
I wonder how artists
conceptualize such exquisite works,
countless workers build
while engineers plan these amazing feats
I never think about and take for granted
until I am immersed and appreciate.
Later this year I’ll talk to a waterfall
that will light up to my voice.
This culture is the reason
I transplanted myself back to the Bexar
to find the heart I left behind.
Sara Hardy was inspired by the new sculpture by Stuart Allen and Cade Bradshaw of the Bridge Projects. “Creek Lines,” sited in San Pedro Creek Culture Park’s Plaza de Fundación, celebrates the path of the creek and the history of San Antonio.
Creek Lines – Sara Hardy
Each pole
Snaked upward
Created rhythm
Made my eyes
Climb their
Sinewy length
At the top,
A reflection,
Resplendent in its
Fragmented luster
At its base,
A sky blue surface
The creek path
Embedded within
My feet desired to
Follow the curvy line
So I let them
Mandelyn Reese seeks to reconnect humanity with acts of kindness and helpfulness. She finds joy and inspiration in nature.
San Pedro Creek Poem – by Mandelyn Reese
I walk beside jagged rock walls
and notice blue spiral tiles
well-trimmed foliage
and ripples on the water
A duck delicately balances on one leg
below the cascading waterfall
called “Rain from the Heavens”
A grandiose wall backdrops the scene
covered in starry astrology patterns
Twelve generation of colorful benches
are nestled amongst the lavender flowers
The wispy wheat waves in the wind
as I admire the metal and mirror sculpture
Ceramic red roses line the bridge
while dainty orange flowers dot the ridge
A family of ducks cruise by in the sun
past a giant colorful mural called
“From All Roads, We Are All One”
Antonia Salinas Murguia writes poetry from the heart and has contributed dozens of poems to local periodicals and regional anthologies. Her poem explores the sense of discovery one may find along this ancient arroyo.
Walking the River Path at Fifteen – by Antonia Salinas Murguia
Step by step
Stone by stone
I walk the path
wanting to give my troubles to the river
wanting to wipe the deadlines hanging over my head
wanting to say it fell into the river, the whole notebook
Step by step
Stone by stone
I walk the path
searching for discovery
searching for something magnificent
searching for someone to see me
Step by step
Stone by stone
I walk the path
wondering if others love this path as I do
wondering if I fell in, who would come to get me
wondering if the river would be as cold as it looked
Step by step
Stone by stone
I walk the path
appreciating that I get to be here today
appreciating that my city has a river that brings beauty
appreciating the magical feeling of community
Step by step
Stone by stone
I walk the path and smile
Don Mathis has led several Writers Take a Walk excursions. Back in 2016, before construction of the Culture Park even began, Don led a group of poets along the historic sites along the San Pedro Creek and gathered their poems in an article for the San Antonio Report. In 2019, the River Authority published a chapbook of poems from the first Writers Take A Walk event which Don co-organized with staff. Don’s focus this year was on the aural.
On the San Pedro Creek – by Don Mathis
I can hear
water flowing underground
pouring from the past
streaming through the present
straining towards the future
priests and Coahuiltecans building a mission
soldiers marching in formation
a flood tearing a neighborhood apart
a mason making a new home
an artist creating a new mural
a writer crafting a poem
I can hear
an ancient tree growing,
roots reaching deep, branches stretching high
a ripple of fish in the stream
the concentration of a heron eyeing that fish
the call of a mother mallard –
and the hurry of ducklings to be by her side
traffic over the bridge with four names
echoes of voices along the arroyo –
across the ages
the feet of people on Houston Street
I can hear
excitement from the audience at the Alameda
the sorrowful clang of a jail door as it shuts
a cry of revolution from Spain, from Mexico
the shout of a strike from the pecan shellers
an ambulance howling to the hospital
the hush of a hearse on the way to a grave
laughter of fiesta, a party in the park
an explosion of a piñata, the children’s glee
the auction of cattle at the stockyard
shadow falling on stone, as eons pass
I can hear
praise reaching high heavens
from the little church in the valley
debate of ideas from City Council
the gavel of justice from Federal Court
longing in the eyes of lovers
the class called to order at the old school
of José Francisco Ruiz by Plaza de Armas
and the university rising at that same location
the signing of the deed by José Navarro
last call for five cent beer at La Blanca Café
I can hear
clicking of cameras on Camaron Street
airwaves emanating from the radio
comercio on Commerce Street
weeping from women on Calle Dolorosa
the solitude of Soledad Street
an encampment of cowboys on Camp Street
the ghost of train whistles on old El Paso
humming from the Pan-Am Highway
the comingling of creeks with the Apache
I can hear the past, the present, the future
San Pedro Creek Culture Park is open daily from 5:00 a.m. to 11 p.m. Visit https://spcculturepark.com/ to learn more.
Post written by: Don Mathis, local poet and Writers Take A Walk co-organizer.
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