July 2012, Kansas City

by Diana Platt

You took me to the river to look at statues of men we’d never heard of
and I thought how wonderful it was to be someplace new,
with my hair hot in the sunshine and the water flowing past the bluff
and how many others may have stood just here, seeing something for the first time
or how many others had stood below and looked up, from their cattle trucks, from their steamboats.

Sometimes you can know a place so well and still find ways to be surprised
and sometimes it makes itself a surprise,
folding in on itself and reopening like a paper airplane
in ways you didn’t expect, but still able to fly.

ABOUT THE POET

Diana Platt obtained her degree in Creative Writing from Kansas State University in 2004. She is a Librarian, an avid reader, and still gets chills when she sees the KC skyline.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Bailey Mitchell is a graphic designer and illustrator with a deep-rooted passion for visual storytelling. Raised in Kansas City, she has always enjoyed the creativity found in the city’s murals and art and has always considered the Western Auto sign to be the focal point of home. When she's not working on design projects, she can often be found at one of the many local breweries, trail running, or baking yet another new and complex treat. She also enjoys exploring the intersection of art and technology by tinkering with code in her spare time. Bailey is constantly seeking inspiration and new ways to express herself creatively, and is excited to see where her artistic journey takes her next.

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

I was drawn to this poem as someone who was raised in Kansas City and has never felt like I’ve truly seen it all. I resonate with the feeling that each time I see the city, I am seeing it through a new lens.

Kansas City is rich in history and culture, and I wanted to showcase its diversity using vibrant colors and patterns. The paper airplane in the poster represents the different perspectives and viewpoints that people bring to the city, each one adding to its richness and complexity.

Overall, my goal with this poster was to create a visual representation of the poem that would not only capture its essence but also spark curiosity and inspire viewers to see the world around them in a new light.