Fisherman
he grew up
around water
his uncle pushed him
in
and that’s how he learned
how to swim
he almost drowned once
but an uncle-in-law jumped
in
water taught him
basic lessons
a boy should know
his father
his grandfathers
his uncles
and his brother
made sure of that
he drove a boat
long before he drove
trucks and tractors
he spent his summers
fishing off the bow
trolling along the edges
at the crack of dawn
catch and release
that’s what a lot of fishing
is about
catching and releasing
when you’re a boy
it’s all about the FISH
catching a fish
when you’re a teenager
it’s all about how many fish
you can catch
when you’re a man
it’s all about
catching and releasing
a fish
when you’re an old man
it’s all about
releasing
a fish
and watching it swim
a w a y
the sound of water
is essential
to the mind and its memory
an old man
laid up in the bed
can close his eyes
and hear the water lapping …
thumping against
the sides of the boat
and drift off
to sleep
trolling along
the edge
TL