The Compton Creek is the Los Angeles River’s southernmost tributary, the only one that starts in the inner city. Its headwaters come from the street storm drains of South Central Los Angeles. Other LA River tributaries like the Tujunga Wash, Arroyo Seco, Rio Hondo, Pacoima Wash and the Burbank Western Wash flow downstream from the northern foothills of either the San Gabriel or the San Fernando Valley. The Compton Creek is more anonymous, much less known than the Arroyo Seco which runs next to the 110 freeway or the Burbank Western Wash which flows past movie studios. Whereas the concretized Compton Creek is usually littered with broken glass, old tires and piles of trash like it is off Central and Imperial Highway. 

The Compton Creek flows for 6.5 miles diagonally downstream from Watts to Willowbrook to Compton to Rancho Dominguez into North Long Beach where it merges with the larger river near Del Amo. The artist, author, and activist Joe Linton writes in his book Down by the Los Angeles River that even though the Compton Creek is one of America’s most polluted waterways, it’s become popular with birdwatchers because the Creek’s last two miles host significant numbers of migratory birds like herons, ducks, egrets, plovers and other local waterfowl. Moreover, the Creek’s final section is a soft bottom stretch with scattered thickets of sycamore trees. The Compton Creek may seem to many like a lonely anomaly; but its underground artesian waters upwell into its own quiet oasis of beauty. Flourishing in spite of all the odds, Compton Creek asks us all: what will it take for you to love me?

Poet, professor, journalist and tour guide Mike Sonksen, aka Mike the PoeT, has published over 500 essays and poems over the last two decades. He’s also hosted events at the Getty Center and Grand Performances. His latest book is Letters to My City.