Chapter 29 The Cast
Have you ever gone fishing?
It’s all about the cast.
The whirring spin of the spool
of line singing over your head
The plop of the lure as it hits
Water splashing and then
ripples defining the path
as it comes back
Careful pacing,
stop and go
Watch the fish as
they follow
Will you get the bite?
Not this time
Wind the line back
and hold it just right
Try again
watch the arc
splash as the
worm sinks again
A different bait,
the bobber floats
weight at the bottom
it dangles below
And now you wait
watching
whistling the toneless
tune of patience
Next to your beach chair
dad whips his line
fly fishing at the creek
where it spills into the pond
And you wish with all your heart
to be just like him
Fish jumping, rising to his
beacon, an irresistible feast
And another trout dances
on its tail, trying his luck
at getting away
Dad reels it in and
Points to your line,
the bobber is gone,
the fight is on and he’s there
with the net
A pat on your shoulder
well done son
The frying pan heats
as you clean your catch
A man and his son
together as one
Casting out
as life moves on