"Queequeg was a native of Kokovoko, an island far away to the West and South. It is not down in any map; true places never are." (Herman Melville in Moby Dick)

Melville describes the island as both a real geographical location and as an idyllic spot; 'a True Place'. Because he also mentions other places like Nantucket, Lima, and Manhattan, the imaginary island of Kokovoko becomes real as well, a destination you can actually visit. In his description Melville opts for 'the imaginary' instead of reality. The whole novel is a mixture of reality and fantasy.

Phoenix is not a Kokovoko but a real city, but............

Most major cities have some specific characteristics that are emphasized by the local Bureau of Commerce. They often come up with the usual stuff such as a historical marker or a "Shopping & Dining" location. In Phoenix it is Sunshine and Golf. But to define or redefine a city from your own perspective – with and without prefab info – that’s always a challenge. I therefore searched for the poetry of the desolate - the opposite of playing golf in the sunshine.

Phoenix is – in my opinion – eerie, evocative, utterly fascinating and, like Kokovoko, quite a true place.

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