Nature in L.A

Summary

The poem "Nature in L.A" by Jenny Justice paints a stark contrast between the glamorous image of Los Angeles and the harsh realities of poverty and environmental neglect.

Abstract

"Nature in L.A" is a poignant reflection on the dichotomy of life in Los Angeles, where the serene rustling of palm trees in the smoggy air is juxtaposed with the sprawling tent cities under overpasses. The poem describes a city consumed by its own mythos of fame and wealth, yet unable to conceal the stark disparities between the affluent and the impoverished. Through vivid imagery, Justice highlights the city's struggle to maintain its natural beauty amidst the urban sprawl and the human cost of its relentless pursuit of glamour. The poem suggests that L.A.'s true nature is marred by the neglect of both its environment and its most vulnerable residents.

Opinions

The author, Jenny Justice, conveys a critical view of Los Angeles, emphasizing the city's failure to provide for its less fortunate inhabitants and to preserve nature.
The poem expresses a sense of disillusionment with the city's image, contrasting the lifestyles of the "rich and famous" with the "poor and invisible."
Justice uses the imagery of nature, such as the swaying palm trees and the dusky smog, to symbolize the city's neglected beauty and the overshadowing presence of poverty and homelessness.
The poem suggests that the city's focus on "showbiz and stucco" is a superficial gloss that cannot mask the underlying social issues, such as the proliferation of cardboard boxes and multicolored tarps used as makeshift shelters.
The author implies that Los Angeles, despite its reputation, lacks the essential qualities of a refuge for either nature or humanity, highlighting the need for greater empathy and action to address these issues.

A Poem

The breeze gently sways

the palm trees, they rustle through the dusky smog

that hovers above the tent cities that

crowd every stretch of overpass, the city of traffic and tourists,

crowds and cars showbiz and stucco,

can’t gloss over, can’t cover the cardboard boxes, the multicolored tarps, the

glaring gap between

lifestyles of the rich and famous and lifestyles of the poor and invisible

sprouting up above the traffic on the sides of the massive freeway

there’s nothing glamorous or angelic about this place

that can’t even provide refuge for nature or human.

Jenny Justice is a poet mom who longs to bring poetry to life in ways that spark empathy, connection, joy, and feeling. She loves writing love poems, climate change awareness poems, poems for kids, and of course, poems about poetry and poets. You can follow her on Medium and at Jenny Justice, Writer. You can follow her poetry at Justice Poetic.

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