I’ve lived in Anaheim, CA, since 2019, close enough to Disneyland that I can watch the nightly fireworks from my backyard. When I tell people this fact, they are envious of me. The fireworks are nice, though it’s long faded into the background noise of daily life now, but the reality of living in my neighborhood is not as bright as these fireworks. I recently attended a community meeting and spoke with a police officer, and he confirmed that the neighborhood I live in has a lot of gang activity and general malfeasance.
One thing that is a bright spot for me, however, is the library system in Anaheim, particularly the main Central Library. Libraries are such safe places for me, starting from when I was a little girl, and the Central Library especially has wonderful programs for both kids and adults. One of the programs I’ve started attending regularly are the open mic nights they have monthly. It’s a supportive, encouraging group of people with an amazing amount of talent, and I’ve started slowly working through my social anxiety and performance anxiety with each reading I do. Through these open mic nights, I discovered that there was the Anaheim Poetry Review, a magazine funded by the city that published poetry from those who live and work in Anaheim. I was inspired to write a poem about some of my experience of living where I do, and I am honored to have been selected to be in the Anaheim Poetry Review along with other amazing poets. The magazine is free to read online, and hard copies are available to read in the Anaheim libraries. As a poet, I am lucky to get some hard copies of my own (they’re not available for sale per the request of the city) and was equally delighted to hear many of the poems read aloud and to have my copy of the Review signed by many of the other poets. Hope you enjoy as well and you can get a taste of the talent and experiences within this city that is often known only in conjunction with a certain happy place.