8 Comments
User's avatar
Peter Whisenant's avatar

Great to read another installment of the "Madysyn" saga. I love the gently wry tone, the quirky inversions of phrase--and then you fly off rather magnificently about "love." This would be worth the price of admission strictly as a San Francisco travelogue--I visited once, you're making me want to go back--but there's so much else besides.

Expand full comment
Robert Charboneau's avatar

Thank you Peter. I'm glad you're enjoying it, even if you don't enjoy Madysyn herself. I like the flying off about love part myself. It has that feeling older stories have, where the narrator can just pause and step back and comment on the story they're telling.

Expand full comment
Daniel Bishop's avatar

I second what Peter said about the speaker going off about love. It has that classic storyteller vibe and is wonderfully done. And, as Peter mentioned, you bring the details of San Francisco, the Presidio and the missions in particular, so finely into focus it makes me want to visit again.

I also love the image of them walking back and forth like "two sloops" knocking against the wharf. Great imagery.

Expand full comment
Robert Charboneau's avatar

Thank you Daniel. It's my love letter to San Fran. Reno is less than four hours away, and I used to go there a lot. Not the same as it used to be though.

Expand full comment
Peter Whisenant's avatar

Who says I don’t like Madysyn herself? If I’m ever in SF, we’re meeting for drinks in the Castro. Yeah, I thought, buckle up, Mr. C is going off about “love,” as is his wont (you even sneak in Gawain).

Expand full comment
Aditi P's avatar

The poem is so engaging and moreover it has been beautified by figures of speech. You describe the place so passionately, that I wish to visit it.

Expand full comment
Robert Charboneau's avatar

Thank you Aditi. Very kind of you

Expand full comment
Mark Rico's avatar

The 6th stanza is breathtaking, Robert. And I thought that my comment would be limited to that ... until I reached the end and found myself re-reading the last several stanzas and their gorgeous tumble into reflection. Bravo!

Expand full comment