LOVE Poem: El Cajon, by Geovanna Santiago

Too hot, Too cold, Too small
that’s how El cajon is built
the way you can see the heat waves in
the streets and cars in the summer
or the way it never snows but you can
feel yourself freezing during winter
the way two cars can barely fit through
the streets of Emerald and Lexington
that’s how El cajon is built
the way its always rained on my
birthday or how its warm during Halloween
that’s just the way… El cajon is built
the city l’ve left but always come back to
the city that has seen me jump out the swing set in
Renette park since I was 5
the city that has the best ice cream
in A-mart that’s by the trolley station
the city that has Parkway Plaza
the mall l’ve worked at since I was 15
the boxed shaped city
I can’t quite leave
that’s just how El cajon is built