Thirteen Ways of Looking at Santa Monica

(source)

This should be called “Three Ways of Looking at Santa Monica.” Never been there. One day though. 

So why am I writing about Santa Monica? Because of two songs (I found through some light research for this post, there are a TON of songs about Santa Monica, making me think I should be even more motivated to go there some day, love it or hate it) but I’ll get to that later.

Have you heard of Wallace Stevens’ “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird"? That’s what we’re going to do, fellow poet. We’ve got a noun that happens to be a place instead of a thing. And we’re going to look at it from all of its angles, holding it up like a mineral with an odd crystal structure to the sun. 

The first song I want you to listen to is “Santa Monica” by The Front Bottoms:

“I wish we were forever lying on the Santa Monica beach/Drinking Tecate/ 24 ounces/underneath the stars.”

The second song is (arguably my favorite song of all time, which is a bold statement, I know) “Santa Monica Dream” by Angus and Julia Stone.

“Goodbye to my Santa Monica dream/Fifteen kids in the backyard drinking wine/You tell me stories of the sea/And the ones you left behind.” 

This post is titled thirteen ways of looking at Santa Monica. The other ways of looking at it will come from you, if you feel so inclined. 

Listen to the songs again, if need be. They are about the same place, but have two very different tones, sound, sentiment. A lot can happen in one place. One person’s hell is always another person’s heaven; I don’t think I’m too confident in assuming so. Which song are you more drawn to? Why? Which tone can you relate to more closely? Consider these questions and then write about how you see Santa Monica, whether you’ve physically seen it or not, it doesn’t matter. You’ve heard it two different ways. Now write about it in the way only you can. Cause you’re you. 

Pass by you on the Santa Monica pier one day, poet. 

(source)

Read more of Alyssa's prompts & writing on Floodmark.