"My fins are hands."
- Richard Hugo, "Duwamish Head"




Fishing With Richard Hugo

"Go on, give it one more try", he said.
I remember the flash of silver spoon,
The keening of line as it arced out
And over and then into the horizon,
The setting sun bleeding in the water.

I remember not holding tight to the rod
Nor to the hope of any last reason to.
And then it hit, first diving and then
Leaping free of water but not the hook,
Retracing the arc the line had made.

I remember the ache of give and take,
The reel singing as it played me
And rasping as I fought it closer,
A last futile leap to fling itself free,
Each of us flailing in shallowing light.

But I could not tell you, now or then,
What I had caught, as he splashed
Into the water, the hairs of his hands
Scaled with salt flakes like sea stars,
Fingers like the fins of a beautiful fish.





Poetry by countryfog
Read 378 times
Written on 2011-04-25 at 20:09

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josephus The PoetBay support member heart!
Its Christmas Day and I'm wandering through your archives alone in a moment of quiet peace between compulsory events inside and outside the home.

Amidst all the hurly burly associated with friends and extended family trying valiantly to provide memories of festivities for future consumption, I have come upon this poem and discovered that all the ruckus behind and surrounding me pales in reading this.

Thank you for the restoritive respite.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hew Year!


Joe
2011-12-25


ngaio Beck
Classic. A tinge of Tolstoys' Sadko.
2011-05-01



Makes me want to go fishing and take along a Dictaphone or a secretary, even a good camera.
2011-04-26


John Ashleigh
Your imagery is unique to you and your poetry.

......" setting sun bleeding in the water"......

Probably the best line I have read in a long while. Thankyou for sharing.

Regards,
John.
2011-04-25