California fog
costal fog
tule fog.
In the summer the sea covers the forest
in cooling fog
shading trees from the heat of the day.
Tule fog comes after the refreshing rains
when the air stills
when the nights are long waiting for more rain.
Fog covers the world
in damp and cold
that penetrates the soul and bones
The world pauses as long visions obscure
and grey fills the sight and mind.
Grey covers green lawns and red stop lights.
The coastal redwoods reaching for the sky
spread their thin hands to catch the mist
and let the water drop at their feet.
Life giving, thirst quenching, cooling fog
People it drives indoors as it chills the soul
driving light and life from their eyes.
Bones ache in the silent damp
as all turn their eyes to where the sun should be.
Through the ages, the trees have welcomed the fog
and it’s gift of refreshing water.
Their small needles specially made for the task finding
water in the long summer drought of the California coast.
Slowly, painfully
the bright spot of the sun grows
brings the day to glorious clear light.
Dancing in the sun people rejoice at the return of light and warmth.
The trees lament as
their roots return to the thirst of a long dry summer.
Me reading the poem.
That’s all for this week. I am taking next week off from this blog to spend a little more time on my poetry book.
Till next time,
Andrew
Andrew's View of the Week 
A great reminder of the bay area and surrounding landscape.
I used to live near San Francisco and crossed the golden gate bridge to get to work. Often the bay would be covered with clouds, the sun rising above them. The sunsets going back home were a spectacular pouring of colors, and at night the lights from the rounded hills made them look like decorated Christmas trees. We liked the coastal road off the north end of the Golden Gate bridge that took us to the redwoods. True beauty at its height and depth.
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I love driving that stretch of road – don’t do it as often as I’d like.
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God i miss California. It’s so hard to grasp that my home has become an impossible dream.
Thank-you for beautiful poem.
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I am a California born and bred. It’s hard for me to imagine living anywhere else. But it is getting more and more difficult to stay. I’d like to retire early but I’d have to leave the state if I did. Not sure about that.
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I’ve lived in both NoCal and SoCal but the Central Valley’s Tule fog takes the prize. You’ve word-painted it well.
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My father grew up in Modesto and I lived in Stockton for awhile – there is nothing like Tule fog in the central valley. It’s something you never forget.
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A very touching poem, and you read it so well, like a TV narrator.
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Thanks for your kind words. I’ve only recorded two of my poems. Think I’ll be doing more.
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Your poem, Fog, was very touching. I am not into poetry that much but I related to your poem, maybe because I live in California and love the fog when it drifts in.
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Thanks for your kind words – happy to hear a fellow Californian likes the poem.
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🙂
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something like this:
Slowly, painfully
the bright spot of the sun grows
brings the day to glorious clear light.
Can so stand alone as a poem itself… nice
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Possibly – images do build on each other and it is possible to break the larger poem down into smaller chunks. Wasn’t thinking that when I wrote it, but it’s an interesting idea. Thanks.
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I like to hear you reading what you’ve written. The sound that an author brings to what he’s created (especially poetry) is fuller than if one is attempting to interpret the meaning. Just my thoughts.
At times the ocean fog comes to where we live and you describe the chill so accurately.
Thanks Andrew.
Susan
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Thanks for your comment. The written and spoken words take different paths in our brains and we feel different emotions depending on how we’ve experienced the words. Which is why I think it important to present the work in both ways.
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