The 270° Triangle

Dear Forrest,

You tell us that we should find “where warm waters halt” before trying to solve any of the other clues. Imagining that we haven’t seen the rest of the poem, and all we have to go on is:

a. “begin it where warm waters halt” and
b. “somewhere in the mountains north of Santa Fe”

Do you think that we can confidently determine the starting place for your treasure trail? ~ Steve

No, if all you have to go on are those two clues you cannot proceed with confidence. Look at it this way. If you were making a cake and you left out a few ingredients, would you achieve your goal?

Your question reminds me of another:  You leave home and walk a straight line for a mile, turn 90 degrees left and walk a curved line for a mile and shoot a bear. Then you turn 90 degrees left again and walk a straight line back to your home. What color is the bear?f

↜↝↜↝↜↝↜↝↜↝↜↝↜↝↜↝↜↝

Once Upon a While

Stories in the order that they appear:

Supplemental Punishment - Forrest's father assigns him the dishes as punishment, and Forrest sings an aria the entire time.

The Long Jump - The story about Forrest jumping off the bridge in the middle of the night.

Sweet Fragrances - The story about the spices in the drawer.

An Education from Stanley - The story about Forrest selling fake art, and his friend compares it to the two ladies wearing mink coats from different stores.

The Loom of the Desert - This is about a book titled with the chapter name.

Me and Little Beaver - This story is about Forrest's Red Rider BB Gun.

Shelling Corn - Joseph Henry Sharp's painting of two people shelling corn. 

Experiences with Joe - This story is about how Joe used to give him the torn comics without the covers to read, and how Joe used to have dinner at their house often.

Glory is Never Enough - Very short story about the Central Junior High School Kittens, the football team Forrest briefly played on.

Explosion on 3rd Street - Skippy's fireworks stand explosion

Divorce logic - It is about a woman that Forrest knows getting a divorce, and she is very distraught. Forrest suggest to her that she make a piece of pottery and they will bury it together, symbolically burying her problems at San Lorenzo.

Once in a While I do Something Right - Forrest unswears himself as a witness in a court case. 

Annabella's Hat - About a hat Forrest bought from a sheepherder for $300.

I Never go Shopping, But... - This is the story about Forrest going to the grocery store and pissing off another patron.

The Unfortunate Hiccup - This story is about a flask and a gentleman that was drinking from it during a golf game. 

In a Tuck - The story about Forrest jumping from the tower diving board at the swimming pool.

Rainy Night Blessings This story is about Forrest playing a game of Bingo and winning, only to find out he still didn't have enough money to buy a bus ticket back to Radio school.

The Quahada Chief on a Black Pony - This is about an old battleground Forrest tried to locate as a young man.

Prince of the Comancheros - About a man named Jose that was tortured and snitched on the Comanches, and about a bronze that Forrest helped create of the man.

Montana Golden - This is the story where Forrest goes fishing at Avalanch Lake, and hides a Dr. Pepper under a rock.

Remnants of the Past - This is the story about the Mammoth tusk that Forrest found, and later gave away pieces of.

Things I covet - This is the story about the Paint Pallets that Forrest collects.

Well, Here's Moses - This is about a small wooden statue of Moses that was carved, and Forrest purchased.

Salute to a Warrior - Story about Renelle.

The Iron Rooster of Santa Fe County - A story about a bronze chicken that Forrest purchased, and then commissioned an artist to paint it.

Lessons from Forrest - A story about a bronze artist also named Forrest.

Memories that Never Die - Story about George Dabich, a friend Forrest made in Vietnam.

Me and Mummy Joe - Story about Forrest's bone knife carved from a bone found in Mummy Joe's cave.

Algernon's Relative - A story about Algernon Smith, a military leader that dies along General Custer in the famous battle at Little Big Horn.

Cultures on Top of Cultures - A story about a cave Forrest explored on his friend's ranch in Arizona. He found a stone knife in the ashes of an ancient hearth.

The Evolution of My Art Opinion - Story about how Forrest sold his gallery. 

Doug Hyde in Stone - This is about the 2 Alabaster sculptures that Doug made and Forrest possesses, and about Joe Medicine Crow.

Apaches in the Garage - The time Forrest flew to a garage sale and bought everything in it from a famous collector's estate.

Me and Michael Douglas - The story about the time Forrest flew statues to Michael Douglas' house and met Elton John without knowing it.

Is It My Candy Ann? - A poem in the style of Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven.

The Graciella Experience - About a painting Forrest purchased for someone else, then decided to keep, only to sell it to the lady later.

Partying with Suzanne Somers - The story about Forrest and Shiloh going to the party at Suzanne's house.

The Bullet Comes Home - The story about Forrest getting the Bullet back.

The Price of Freedom - The story about a bronze sculptor that Forrest knew, but died rescuing someone from a river.

Revisiting Nine Clues, Nine Sentences

In the spring of 2016, Fenn did an interview and it's contents are available online here:

Spring 2016 Interviews

The interview is broken up into shorter segments and the one I'm interested in for this post is San Lazaro - Part 1.  It is about writing and in it, Fenn says 

"...you can't end a sentence with a colon, so down there by the page number I put a period..."

What's interesting about this is that in the book, The Thrill of the Chase, before the poem is a sentence and it ends with a colon, then the poem.

So I wrote a poem containing nine clues that if followed precisely, will lead to the end of my rainbow and the treasure:

There aren't many people who are including that sentence as part of the poem, but I believe the colon connects the sentence to the poem and is part of what is necessary to solve the poem!

What normally follows a colon?  A list.

How is that list usually formatted?  Bullet points.

So I wrote a poem containing nine clues that if followed precisely, will lead to the end of my rainbow and the treasure:

• As I have gone alone in there And with my treasures bold, I can keep my secret where, And hint of riches new and old.
• Begin it where warm waters halt And take it in the canyon down, Not far, but too far to walk.
• Put in below the home of Brown.
• From there it’s no place for the meek, The end is ever drawing nigh; There’ll be no paddle up your creek, Just heavy loads and water high.
• If you’ve been wise and found the blaze, Look quickly down, your quest to cease, But tarry scant with marvel gaze, Just take the chest and go in peace.
• So why is it that I must go And leave my trove for all to seek?
• The answers I already know, I’ve done it tired, and now I’m weak.
• So hear me all and listen good, Your effort will be worth the cold.
• If you are brave and in the wood I give you title to the gold.