Fishin’ ~ The One That Got Away!

Followers of ‘Poems From the Porch’ will be aware that now and then I publish a special edition that just focuses on one poem. Sometimes it is because the poem is rather long and I don’t want it to overshadow others in the collection, other times I feel it is a subject that deserves to be highlighted on its own, and occasionally, by standing it alone it just allows me to get an article published rather than wait another week for me to finish.

This poem is quite lengthy, and as I kept readers waiting for the last edition of ‘Poems From the Porch’ I felt compelled to publish it now rather than wait to complete the other requested poems.

This poem was requested by Bill Holland (billybuc):

“I've got one for ya.....fishin'

That's it, just fishin'”

Thank you for the suggestion, Bill. I hope you enjoy this poem.

I get up at the crack of dawn,

Bid farewell to the night,

Just before the sun comes up,

And while the fish still bite.

Dig the worms to use as bait,

Check sinkers, hooks and lines,

Make some sandwiches for lunch,

Down my coffee in quick time.

I love to go a fishin’

Alone or with some friends.

Hopefully to catch some fish,

But success of that depends.

Then I walk down to the jetty

And choose a likely spot

Where I’m sure the best fish are.

Expert opinion? ..Not!

I sit upon a three-legged stool,

And bait my hook at last.

The reel spins on my fishing rod

As I flick my wrist, and cast.

It makes a swishing sound, then plops

To the depth the float allows,

Which will bob up on the water

To warn of fish aroused.

Patiently I wait for a sign

That a fish has “took the bait.”

I almost fall off of my stool ..

The float is out of sight!

I grab the rod and yank a bit,

The tension starts to grow.

It’s something big I’ve hooked onto,

But what? I do not know.

I release the line a little bit

To let my quarry run,

Then pull the rod back just a touch,

Just like I taught my son.

Slowly then, I reel it in,

A process that takes skill.

Not like a hunter with a gun

That goes for a quick kill.

An hour has passed, or so it seems.

I wipe sweat from my brow.

Determined though to land this catch,

The largest I have known.

Finally, I see the fish

That’s hooked upon my line.

I lift the rod and wind the reel -

I’ve waited for this time.

The biggest cod I’d ever seen

Broke through the waters surface.

But the smile I bore was bigger,

And could be seen from outer space.

My muscles strained to lift the weight

As I raised it to the deck,

The largest fish I’d ever caught,

But then .. oh what the heck??

The hook dislodged from the cod’s mouth,

The mighty fish was free!

I yelled a million curse words

As it slipped back in the sea.

It flicked its tail and splashed me

As if to say, “Good try!”

While I just stared forlornly

And bid my catch goodbye.

I slumped back down upon my stool,

Tears pouring from my eyes.

I’d never got so close before

To landing such a prize.

I wish I had a photo,

Or something I could show

To prove that fish I almost caught

Was not some small minnow.

I had no proof to brag about,

I rue it to this day.

The biggest fish I ever hooked

..The one that got away!