What is this poem about?

Question

The Changing Light

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 can't get What this poem is about, It will be a great help if you guys explain it by line by line or in a summary!

15 points for the best explanation!!!!!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Oh boy...

When are teachers going to stop assigning garbage like this?

Okay: It is a simple poem (NOT Frost or Dickinson simple) creating imagery about the different light at different times of the day on San Fran being unique. East coast light? Maybe he means incandecent light--artificial. Pearly light of Paris? WHo knows. I have been to Paris. It is incandecent light at night and only has 55 days of sun per year, and landlocked.
Makes the city of San Fran have the same "sea" light as Greece, a gorgeous bunch of islands. It conjures up imagery of a bright, crisp, bluish-white cast on everything--hence everything looking freshly painted.
Also, there is something more to be said about "sea light." There is a fine ocean mist in the air that refracts light. There are tiny rainbows everywhere. This is the imagery of this poem that I DO like.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Amazing!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

the poem deals with the daily weather routine of san francisco. the different places in the city and how the different sources of light ignite the city( early sun mid sun evening sun rays moon rays or the electric lights)

well this is what i could interpret