Uploaded February 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
For the community that we love, a Valentine's Day poem from us to you, thanks to Loveland's First Poet Laureate Veronica Patterson, also recognized as a Community Connector through our 2022 State of the City.
Watch the State of the City here: youtu.be/PG8AYn5dPXo
Read Veronica's full poem below
Lake . Love . Land
Praise the loom of the land between mountains, warped
by wind and a weft of clouds crossing the plains.
Praise the sun rising to light the peaks, the foothills,
the buildings, the water. Praise the open sky.
Praise the grasses, elegant seed heads, gold of rabbit brush,
and the poses of the cottonwood trees.
Praise the eagles, hawks, pelicans, flickers, ducks, crows,
ravens, and the great blue herons.
Praise the layers—the people who were here first, second,
third, now. With their spirits, we create the tapestry
of land and fields from stories of canyon, river,
flood, and reservoir.
Praise the builders and rebuilders, visionaries, farmers, ranchers,
workers—in the time of sugar beets, those who bowed
to them. In the time of cherries—the pickers and canners.
Praise the technologies that ignite, grow, and burgeon here, as we
move to invent a new day.
Praise the artists, sculpting in brass, wood, glass, and rock—
in parks, on streets. And painters, musicians, poets. Remember,
we all imagine tomorrow.
Praise the city's sturdy past and resilient present—Loveland Museum,
Civic Center and Lagoon, Rialto Theater, Library, Feed & Grain,
as we honor the once, and change, and renew.
Praise the sun slipping down gold and blue and crimson behind mountains.
Praise the stars that come down to us; listen. They know the story of next.
Many have woven the fabric of this place. If it is torn, we will mend it. Our city
is a question and your story part of the answer
far beyond what we see now. On the glad days
paradise rhymes with this.
For the community that we love, a Valentine's Day poem from us to you, thanks to Loveland's First Poet Laureate Veronica Patterson, also recognized as a Community Connector through our 2022 State of the City.
Watch the State of the City here: youtu.be/PG8AYn5dPXo
Read Veronica's full poem below
Lake . Love . Land
Praise the loom of the land between mountains, warped
by wind and a weft of clouds crossing the plains.
Praise the sun rising to light the peaks, the foothills,
the buildings, the water. Praise the open sky.
Praise the grasses, elegant seed heads, gold of rabbit brush,
and the poses of the cottonwood trees.
Praise the eagles, hawks, pelicans, flickers, ducks, crows,
ravens, and the great blue herons.
Praise the layers—the people who were here first, second,
third, now. With their spirits, we create the tapestry
of land and fields from stories of canyon, river,
flood, and reservoir.
Praise the builders and rebuilders, visionaries, farmers, ranchers,
workers—in the time of sugar beets, those who bowed
to them. In the time of cherries—the pickers and canners.
Praise the technologies that ignite, grow, and burgeon here, as we
move to invent a new day.
Praise the artists, sculpting in brass, wood, glass, and rock—
in parks, on streets. And painters, musicians, poets. Remember,
we all imagine tomorrow.
Praise the city's sturdy past and resilient present—Loveland Museum,
Civic Center and Lagoon, Rialto Theater, Library, Feed & Grain,
as we honor the once, and change, and renew.
Praise the sun slipping down gold and blue and crimson behind mountains.
Praise the stars that come down to us; listen. They know the story of next.
Many have woven the fabric of this place. If it is torn, we will mend it. Our city
is a question and your story part of the answer
far beyond what we see now. On the glad days
paradise rhymes with this.
