I grew up in Baltimore and though I was an outdoorsy child, I must admit that in my youth I believed the Jones Falls was just the name of an expressway. Having done more exploration, trail navigation and sightseeing as I’ve gotten older, I realize the Jones Falls is really a hidden gem. While it can be missed by those whizzing by in a vehicle, its charms are best captured when observing it while on foot. I’ve captured my thoughts in a poem below, titled “The Falls.”
Water rushing, leaves rustling
A siren wails in the air.
Your charms hidden away from plain view,
But when found, one must stop and stare.
With exposed rock and variable drops,
your waters dance with ease.
For biker, runner, paddler and walker,
your babbling aims to please.
Whether tunnels graced with graffiti
or bedrock marred with time,
your lapping never ceases
to take a chance and wind.
Around and over and under you go,
your flood waters are respected by all.
In Baltimore there can only be,
one place we call “The Jones Falls.”
Aside forested buffer and channeled concrete,
you greet the city lover.
Tis recognized there is no other
and so your praise, we must usher.
By Tanaira Cullens. Tanaira serves as Board Secretary for the Friends of The Jones Falls. She works as an environmental scientist for Biohabitats and lives in Loch Raven.
Friends of the Jones Falls 