Now Entering Manassas / Próximo Arribo – Manassas

Katherine’s poem “Now Entering Manassas” was the winner of the adult “time capsule” poetry contest. Katherine read her poem April 1 at the 150th anniversary celebration, the translated version by Jorge de Villasante was read in Spanish by Bianca Menendez, her poem was published in Neighbors of Historic Manassas magazine, and it was included in the city’s time capsule.

Now Entering Manassas

by Katherine Gotthardt

Huff of the engine, 
guide of the rails,
rough ties leading 
both forward and back, 
through the streets of centuries, 

to the sidewalks of First Fridays, 
passengers peeking at galleries, 
at gifts shops, watching the night 
toil over plans for the morrow. 
This is Manassas now.

This Manassas is of architects and analysts, 
financiers and teachers,
muscle and sweat and old bones, 
civic-minded, justice-minded, 
innovation-minded, engineers 
of perspective and time, 

each lowering cobbled stones 
next to another, building 
and rebuilding to the iconic 
cry of the train whistle.

Hailed by history, by every 
nook of a growing globe,
by crossing lights marking safe passage, 
the invisible waft of coffee, 
the vivid notes of mariachis,
the art of poets and painters and chefs, 
dancers, antiquarians, pragmatists and potters – 

this is a city that decided to love itself, 
to be itself, allowed itself to move 
to the rhythm of railroads 
and every lesson learned.

This is a city where progress
sits at the station, serves as sentinel 
from the water tower, settles in for the evening, 
everyone’s next-door neighbor. 

Come, hold the handle tight, now. 
Come step down, alight now.
Drop your bags at the platform,
take a look at a map and a lifetime.

This is Manassas now. 
This, your welcome home. 

_____________________________________________

Próximo Arribo - Manassas

Autora: Katherine Gotthardt
Traductor: Jorge de Villasante

Arranca el motor,
las vías del tren guían,
las traviesas ásperas
hacia delante y hacia atrás
a través de las calles del tiempo

A las banquetas de los pasajeros de los Primeros Viernes,
pasajeros echando un vistazo a galerías,
tiendas, mirando la noche
que concibe el día siguiente.
Así es Manassas ahora.

Este Manassas de arquitectos y analistas,
financieros y maestros,
músculos y sudor y viejos huesos,
de mentalidad cívica y de justicia
con mentalidad innovadora, ingenieros
de perspectiva y tiempo,

cada uno coloca piedras
una al lado de la otra, construye
y reconstruye al silbido
icónico del ferrocarril

Aclamado por la historia, por cada
rinconcito de un mundo que crece,
luces que cruzan afirman un viaje seguro,
el olor invisible del café,
la música alegre de mariachis,
el arte de poetas, pintores y cocineros,
bailarines, anticuarios, pragmáticos y ceramistas-

esta es una ciudad que tomó la decisión de amarse,
de ser si misma, y permitió que
se moviera al ritmo de las vías del tren 
y de su aprendizaje 

Esta es una ciudad donde el progreso
está en la estación ferroviaria, y sirve de vigilante
desde la torre de agua, que se acomoda para pasar la noche,
y es el vecino de todos

Ven y detén la manija con fuerza ahora
Bájate, desciende ahora
Suelta tus maletas en la plataforma, 
mira un mapa y toda una vida

Así es Manassas.
Esto, tu bienvenida a casa.	

Katherine Gotthardt

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt, M.Ed., writing concentration, hails from Virginia. She considers herself a writer by nature and by trade, having begun writing for fun as soon as her mother helped teach her to read. An active part of the literary community, Katherine was a past-president and a founding member of Write by the Rails (WbtR), the Prince William Chapter of the Virginia Writers Club. Katherine has been a Prince William County Poet Laureate nominee and was the winner of Inside Nova’s 2019 and 2020 Best of Prince William award in the category of author. Her poetry and prose book Get Happy, Dammit: Staying Inspired and Motivated in an Often-Unhappy World received a Silver Award from the Nonfiction Authors Association. Katherine's children’s book, A Crane Named Steve, hit number one in its category on Amazon in 2019. Katherine then took first place in the free verse category of Loudoun County Library Foundation’s 2020 Rhyme On poetry contest for her piece "Discussion Topic." The Prince William Arts Council and Poet Laureate Circle awarded her the 2020 Outstanding Poetry Project Award for her leadership in Write by the Rails' Poems Around Town poetry installation. In 2021 Katherine earned second place for "Aftermath" in a Poetry Society of Virginia national contest and the regional Seefeldt Award for Arts Excellence in the category of Individual Artist. She won first place in the Virginia Writers Club statewide Golden Nib contest in the poetry category for her poem "Kayak." Katherine was recognized as a PW Perspective 2021 DMV Best Business award winner in the category of author. In April 2023, Katherine’s poem “Now Entering Manassas” was the winner of Manassas, Virginia's adult “time capsule” poetry contest. Katherine read her poem at the 150th anniversary celebration, the translated version by Jorge de Villasante was read in Spanish by Bianca Menendez, her poem was published in Neighbors of Historic Manassas magazine, and it was included in the city’s time capsule. While Katherine is well-known for her poetry, she also has established a solid reputation for writing articles, columns and short fiction. She is published in dozens of journals and anthologies and has authored 12 books: Poems from the Battlefield, Furbily-Furld Takes on the World, Approaching Felonias Park, Weaker Than Water, Bury Me Under a Lilac, Late April, A Crane Named Steve, Get Happy, Dammit, D.C. Ekphrastic: Crisis of Faith, Thirty Years of Cardinals Calling, Get Happier, Dammit and We All Might Be Witches. She uses proceeds from her books to support giving back initiatives.
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