the sky opening to heaven

the changing light

                      at san francisco 

       is none of your east coast light 

                   none of your 

                                  pearly light of paris 

the light of san francisco 

                         is a sea light 

                                       an island light 

and the light of fog 

                      blanketing the hills 

             drifting in at night 

                            through the golden gate 

                                                 to lie on the city at dawn 

and then the halcyon late mornings 

       after the fog burns off 

          and the sun paints white houses 

                                       with the sea light of greece 

               with sharp clean shadows 

                       making the town look like 

                                    it had just been painted 

but the wind comes up at four o'clock 

                                            sweeping the hills 

and then the veil of light of early evening 

and then another scrim 

                    when the new night fog 

                                                floats in 

and in that vale of light 

                          the city drifts 

                                      anchorless upon the ocean

-lawrence ferlinghetti

i was on a walk in portero hill in the city yesterday when the wide sky peeled back and opened up and glowed. the sweeping views rolled out before me as i walked up and down slopey streets, and my head and fingertips got all tingly. i sure love this city, because has helped to make me. and its light really is magic. 

{if you look reeeeeeeallly close in this one, you can see the golden gate bridge.}