Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California, USA
Between 1825 and 1832, Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799-1837) wrote his "Eugene Onegin", a wonderful serialised novel entirely in verse. Taking his cue from Pushkin's form, Vikram Seth (1952-), the fine Indian-American author, in 1986 published his marvellous "The Golden Gate", a brilliant novel of humanity in its many forms set in San Francisco.
As a colophon to this mighty read, Vikram Seth says about himself:
"The author, Virkam Seth, directed
By Anne Freedgood his editor,
To draft a vita, has selected
The following salient facts for her:
In '52, born in Calcutta.
8 lbs. 1 oz. Was heard to utter
First ryhmes ("cat", "mat") at age of three.
A student of demography
And economics, he has written
"From Heaven Lake", a travel book
Based on a journey he once took
Through Sinkiang and Tibet. Unbitten
At last by wanderlust and ryhme,
He keeps Pacific Standard Time."
In the book, Golden Gate Bridge - 1937 - spanning San Francisco Bay - plays an important role in a conversation between two main characters on a walk they take:
"They wander for a while, not saying
Too much, then stroll out on the pier
By Old Fort Point. Surfers, displaying
Sinuous equestrianism, steer
Their boards on the in-pouring rollers;
On shore, the eight-year-old controllers
of motley skateboards swiftly skim
In competition bright and trim
Past fishermen, gulls, rocks, and breakers,
While high above the Golden Gate,
Nestling the fort, in unornate
Magnificence across the acres
Of whitecapped sea, the golden span
Hangs for the world to hymn and scan."
What more can one say!
This photo was taken from a car on its way to a small scholarly symposium at Calistoga at the top of the Napa Valley. The day was bright and beautiful, and the international signal orange of the paint - especially visible in fog - was brilliant against the blue!
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California, USA
Between 1825 and 1832, Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799-1837) wrote his "Eugene Onegin", a wonderful serialised novel entirely in verse. Taking his cue from Pushkin's form, Vikram Seth (1952-), the fine Indian-American author, in 1986 published his marvellous "The Golden Gate", a brilliant novel of humanity in its many forms set in San Francisco.
As a colophon to this mighty read, Vikram Seth says about himself:
"The author, Virkam Seth, directed
By Anne Freedgood his editor,
To draft a vita, has selected
The following salient facts for her:
In '52, born in Calcutta.
8 lbs. 1 oz. Was heard to utter
First ryhmes ("cat", "mat") at age of three.
A student of demography
And economics, he has written
"From Heaven Lake", a travel book
Based on a journey he once took
Through Sinkiang and Tibet. Unbitten
At last by wanderlust and ryhme,
He keeps Pacific Standard Time."
In the book, Golden Gate Bridge - 1937 - spanning San Francisco Bay - plays an important role in a conversation between two main characters on a walk they take:
"They wander for a while, not saying
Too much, then stroll out on the pier
By Old Fort Point. Surfers, displaying
Sinuous equestrianism, steer
Their boards on the in-pouring rollers;
On shore, the eight-year-old controllers
of motley skateboards swiftly skim
In competition bright and trim
Past fishermen, gulls, rocks, and breakers,
While high above the Golden Gate,
Nestling the fort, in unornate
Magnificence across the acres
Of whitecapped sea, the golden span
Hangs for the world to hymn and scan."
What more can one say!
This photo was taken from a car on its way to a small scholarly symposium at Calistoga at the top of the Napa Valley. The day was bright and beautiful, and the international signal orange of the paint - especially visible in fog - was brilliant against the blue!