Twain Dooley performed “A Love Poem to D.C.” during Open Mic Night at Busboys and Poets in D.C. Of the poem’s inspiration, Twain said, “When I wrote the poem, I was working in Fairfax, VA. I was coming across the bridge and seeing the monuments and just thinking how I have a love/hate relationship with the place I grew up—how pretty it is, how dysfunctional parts of it are, and how wonderful it is—so all of those elements mashed together and I just wrote my love poem to D.C. Parts of it are old, like the crack-smoking mayor, but the essence of it still holds true.” The people of D.C.’s passion and love for the city shape the city’s character, urban landscape and atmosphere. Through visualizing the people, places and experiences that Twain mentions in his poem, I hoped to show how that love for both the charming and frustrating parts of the city drive D.C. forward, while maintaining its sense of history and personality. Twain Dooley is a first generation American who was born and raised in Washington, DC. After serving on active duty in Desert Storm, he returned home and began to perform his poetry for various audiences and in competitions. This video was shot and produced in a 48 hour period for the Hearst Journalism Awards National Multimedia Championship, which it won.