On this day in 1776 – while elsewhere on the Eastern shores of America, independence was but a few days away – a quieter but equally significant milestone was taking shape here on the western shores of the nation. Spanish explorers, led by Lieutenant José Joaquín Moraga and Father Francisco Palóu, established El Presidio de San Francisco and founded Mission San Francisco de Asís, affectionately known today as Mission Dolores. This is considered by many as the official founding of the city of San Francisco. So happy birthday to the city by the bay I have grown to love since I moved to the Bay Area over a quarter century ago now!

From humble and historic beginnings almost 250 years ago (next year) grew a city of bridges—between land and sea, old and new, art and activism. And this week, as we mark San Francisco’s birthday, America’s Independence Day, and my own trip around the sun, I couldn’t help but celebrate through poetry—my own bridge to memory, meaning, and joy.

So here’s to cities, countries, and people finding their way forward.
And now, some poems for San Francisco – the city I love…

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Poetic Sundays: Because San Francisco Deserves a Verse (or Five)

It’s San Francisco’s birthday today, and what better way to celebrate than with a few verses that echo the heartbeats of this beautiful, fog-draped city that is close to what I now call home?

The City by the Bay has inspired poets for generations—and I totally get why. There’s something about the way the light(and the weather) shifts here, the way the hills seem to (and maybe do) hold secrets, how every neighborhood feels like its own little storybook (I speak from experience hiking those hilly terrains over many weekends across the years), and where the famed fog has a name – it is Karl!

So here’s a small poetic sampling—from the iconic Ferlinghetti to an original piece I penned just for today. Consider this a birthday card to San Francisco in verse… and maybe the start of a new series (you know how I love those!).

‘The Changing Light’ by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

A love letter to San Francisco’s fog-draped magic from Lawrence Ferlinghetti, this poem captures the city’s uniquely shifting light—one that no other coast or continent can quite replicate.
(excerpt below; for the full poem, visit Poets.org)

The changing light at San Francisco
is none of your East Coast light
none of your
pearly light of Paris

‘The Golden Gate’ by Edward Pollock

In this atmospheric poem from the 19th century, Pollock transforms fog and sea into a ghostly fleet gliding through the Golden Gate, blurring the line between nature and myth.
(excerpt below; for the full poem, visit PoetryAtlas)

The air is chill, and the day grows late,
And the clouds come in through the Golden Gate:
Phantom fleets they seem to me,
From a shoreless and unsounded sea;
Their shadowy spars and misty sails,
Unshattered, have weathered a thousand gales:
Slow wheeling, lo! in squadrons gray,
They part, and hasten along the bay;
Each to its anchorage finding way.
Where the hills of Saucelito swell,
Many in gloom may shelter well;
And others —behold— unchallenged pass
By the silent guns of Alcatras:
No greetings of thunder and flame exchange
The armed isle and the cruisers strange.
Their meteor flags, so widely blown,
Were blazoned in a land unknown;
So, charmed from war or wind or tide,
Along the quiet wave they glide.

‘A Legend of the Cliff House, San Francisco’ by Bret Harte

With playful rhythm and a hint of nostalgia, Harte immortalizes a daring tightrope walker who once braved the gusty cliffs of San Francisco’s famed seaside perch. And if you have not been to the Cliff House in San Francisco, you should, even if only for the views.
(excerpt below; for the full poem, visit PoetryAtlas)

Where the sturdy ocean breeze
Drives the spray of roaring seas
That the Cliff-House balconies
                Overlook:

There, in spite of rain that balked,
With his sandals duly chalked,
Once upon a tight-rope walked
                Mr. Cooke.

But the jester’s lightsome mien,
And his spangles and his sheen,
All had vanished, when the scene
                He forsook;—-

Yet in some delusive hope,
In some vague desire to cope,
One still came to view the rope
                Walked by Cooke.

‘To San Francisco’ by Ina D Coolbrith

Fair on your hills, my City,
Fair as the Queen of old,
Supreme in her seven-hilled splendor-
You, from your Gate of Gold,
Facing the orient sunburst,
Swathed in the sunset gleams,
Throned in an ultimate glory,
City of mists and of dreams!

My Poetic Ode to the City

Postcard from San Francisco
A cable car climbs up a sigh,
past painted ladies watching sky,
the wind smells faint of sea and street—
a jazz riff where the seagulls meet.

Chinatown buzzes, bold and bright,
while walls wear art like light.
A poet walks with coffee steam
down Haight, still chasing Kerouac’s dream.

Fog tucks the skyline into bed,
but neon dreams dance on instead.
Dear friend, this city’s odd and grand—
wish you were here to understand.
~ Vidya Tiru @ LadyInReadWrites

More to Explore – San Francisco

• 5 Literary Landmarks in the San Francisco Bay Area
• Walking Down Hidden Alleys Leads to….
• Of the City By the Bay (And Of Hearts and Beaches and Bridges, Oh My!)

Books Set in San Francisco

• I have to start with Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
• Next up is Malinda Lo’s Last Night at the Telegraph Club
• Up to This Pointe by Jennifer Longo (12 – 15 years, and up). 
• Dave Eggers’ The Monk of Mokha

Recently

On My Blog and Home Front

Since my last scribblings:

• 11 Fairy-Themed Books and Activity Pairings (Plus More Magic!)
• Sunday Scribblings #228: Tau-ku-ing Time to Celebrate and All That

And it has been a hot week – this past one – so I am glad we didn’t plan any outdoor activities. Even a trip to Costco yesterday had us exhausted – it was almost a 100 in the car ride back and forth 🙂

Upcoming

On My Blog and Home Front

The Ultimate Blog Challenge is back again – a couple of days away now starting July 1st – and I hope to post (almost) everyday.

This Week’s Celebrations

The Literary and Close-to-it Celebrations

• Literary Birthdays this week: Winston Graham on June 30th; William Strunk, Lisa Scottoline on July 1st; Hermann Hesse, Jack Gantos, and Matthew Reilly (and me too!) on the 2nd of July; July 3rd celebrates the birthdays of Dave Barry, Franz Kafka, Rohinton Mistry, and Matt Haig; Nathaniel Hawthorne’s is on the 4th; July 5th celebrates Bill Watterson; Hilary Mantel and Bessie Head on the 6th of July
• Alice in Wonderland Day is on the 4th of July
• followed by Mechanical Pencil Day on the 5th

Foodie Celebrations

• July starts off with National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day and National Gingersnap Day on the 1st. What is the most creative ice cream flavor have you had? For me, I think, the quirkiest one has been garlic ice cream though I know I have had a few really amazing creative ones as well (but the garlic ice cream was really good too, not kidding!)
• The 2nd of July is National Anisette Day
• It is National Chocolate Wafer Day and National Eat Your Beans Day on July 3rd
• July 4th observes Sidewalk Egg Frying Day  and Jackfruit Day
• Then on the 5th of July, it is National Apple Turnover Day and National Graham Crackers Day 

Other Celebrations

• International Asteroid Day is on June 30th as is World Social Media Day.
• Start off July with laughter and music for the 1st of July is International Joke Day and International Reggae Day 
• July 2nd is special to me… And then it is also World UFO Day, National Disco Day, I Forgot Day, and Freedom From Fear of Speaking Day. It is also (along with the 1st some years, the middle of the year).
• It is National Compliment Your Mirror Day on the 3rd of July (I love how this is worded). It is also StartTheConversation Day. July 3rd is also National Stay Out of the Sun Day and International Drop a Rock Day
• The 4th of July is of course Independence Day here in the US.
• Enjoy a fun Spongebob inspired holiday on the 5th with Work Without Your Hands Day!
• July 6th is International Kissing Day!

Wrapping up my Sunday Scribblings

So dear reader, this was it for this post. As always, appreciate and totally welcome your thoughts, comments, and suggestions on these scribblings on Sunday! And which of these days in this wonderful week do you plan to celebrate?

Linking this to the Sunday Post over at the Caffeinated Reviewer and the Sunday Salon.