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Poetry

Turk Life


by David Kang (M27)
Fall 2023 Issue


The vibrancy of the Stars and Stripes atop a cable car at Cable Car End contrasts sharply with the daily hustle of life below, capturing the dichotomy of the American experience in San Francisco. Market Street, at the famous Cable Car Turnaround, is constantly filled with different religious preachers. In this space, ideas and beliefs clashed, sparking discussion that enlighten the city. Amidst the slow paced street life in Tenderloin during the day, passerby usually choose to traverse through this part of SF as fast as possible, some choose to do it more obviously. Even though the Tenderloin is not beautiful, there are beauty within its people. Through my interaction with this street vendor in front of Powell Station, I learned about the struggle of many talented artists in San Francisco due to the unbearable housing prices. Despite the challenge in life, the women did not force me to purchase any work, and spent her time introducing me to her companion, reminding me about the uniqueness about everyone in SF, no matter class or status. Mental illness is one of the leading cause of homelessness in San Francisco, especially in the Tenderloin. 5 minutes walk away from the Turk residence hall, lays this fire hydrant. However, after staying here for three months, the government shows no signs of fixing it, potentially demonstrating their attitude towards the Tenderloin. Although not as common as news paper likes to describe, tents certainly do exist in the Tenderloin. They move out in the morning to avoid to the city enforced street cleaning. Then usually move back in the afternoon. Silhouetted against the hopeful blue sky, a lone figure walks by the American flag in the General's Residence located in Northern San Francisco — a symbol of dreams that seems distant in the hard realities of the Tenderloin 25 minutes drive away. In San Francisco, stoplights and crosswalks are generally for reference only.