Welcome to Poetry Friday! Today we are hosted by Patricia Franz on her blog Reverie, which is HERE. Thank you, Patricia for hosting. I look forward to reading your blog and others this week.
I have not been posting regularly because of travel to see my grandson in Pacifica, California. I just returned after three weeks and have too many things I’d like to share. I have been planning to go to a certain site for a while, but last week I finally made it to Coit Tower in San Francisco.
Coit tower was built in 1933 with money bequeathed by Lillie Hitchcock Coit to be used to build the tower as well as a monument that would celebrate San Francisco’s fire fighters. As a young girl she was rescued from a burning building and her life saved by fire fighters. She never forgot it. If you like, see a photo and read more about it Here.
After the tower was built, In 1934 a group of artists employed by the Public Works and Art Project, a precursor to the Works Progress Administration (WPA), filled its walls with murals. They depict Americans doing all kinds of work and living diverse lives. The murals are inspiring, a celebration of workers during the Great Depression.
Part of a mural named FARMER by Clifford Wright (1900-1996)
Part of a mural of industries of California by Ralph Stackpole. These women are canning.
A small part of the mural LIBRARY by Bernard Zakheim (1896-1985) Libraries were an important part of life in the early 20th century.
There was too much for me to take in! There was too much to see. These pictures are a small part.
And this is the view of San Francisco Bay from the top of Coit Tower. Treasure Island and Yerba Buena island are in the distance.
My trip wasn’t all sight seeing, we spent a lot of time with baby Tommy. But would like to report that San Francisco was peaceful, beautiful, and a welcoming place even if it’s a little foggy.
San Francisco Fog
Thick grey fog layers
on ocean, beaches, bridges--
so you feel your way.
©Janice Scully 2025
Halloween is next week and I’m heading to Poetry Palooza at Highlights. It’s been a while since I’ve hung out with a large group of writers, except, of course, on Poetry Friday. Happy Halloween!
I grew up “feeling my way” through fog (born in SF, 9 yrs in Daly City) –which I still love. Something about those cool, moist days that require sweatshirts… And Coit Tower is one of my favorite landmarks. You used to be able to see it from the Bay Bridge when driving from the east bay. Thank you for this memory!
What a beautiful place to grow up! The fog is huge, like a character in a novel, isn’t it? I was so happy to finally see Coit Tower and it didn’t disappoint. The many stairs leading up to it were a workout.
Looking forward to seeing you at Poetry Palooza, Janice! Thanks for all this loveliness. fog and all.
So glad to see you are going to Highlights! I’m driving there on Halloween. I was glad to see that a few others will be there, too.
Janice, looking forward to seeing you at Highlights!! Thank you for the mural pics. Love the history and care that went into them. Safe travels! xo
I’m so exited to see you and everyone, relax and just enjoy the company of poetry friends. xo
Oh, wonderful, Janice, and nice to see you here. Being with grandchildren is the best thing. Mine are growing up, but we still have fun doing things together. I love San Francisco with so many marvelous sites to see. Thanks for sharing some of those Coit Tower murals, and your haiku about the fog, exactly my experience, too.
Thanks for sharing the Coit Tower mural images and backstory. Glad you got to spend time with your grandson! Enjoyed your atmospheric fog haiku too. 🙂
Janice, it’s great to catch up a little with you. The Coit Tower murals are beautiful. Thanks for sharing. I love the haiku with feeling your way in the fog. 🙂 So glad you got to spend so much time with Tommy, what a joy! Enjoy Poetry Palooza and all your Highlights friends.
Wheeeeeee! a trip to Highlights is just the thing for a poetry person like you. Enjoy it. I can’t wait to learn from your learning. I love your photos of Coit Tower. What a fascinating place. Art from 1930s America is a favorite of mine. You can tell the decade a mile away in a museum…and maybe that’s why I like it. I can recognize the style and shape of those WPA figures. The last line in your haiku is wonderful…great way to think of being in fog.
“so you feel your way”–tremendous! Glad you are seeing so much of Tommy and his surrounds…and sorry to miss you at Highlights, Janice.
Thanks for this rich virtual trip to Coit Tower and all the sensitive art inside!
I like your haiku it reminds me of being in Maine on an ocean inlet where I painted. Have a wonder-filled time next week. Thanks for all!
Thanks for taking us with you on this trip, Janice!
Thanks for the report back from a PEACEFUL San Francisco! I like that final line in your haiku. You literally felt you way in the fog, the rest of us are doing so figuratively…