Fishing The Reeds Alone

By blue shadowed depths along the lake
Where the shallows allow the reeds to rise
I, on a Sunday with Father, fish the bank.

With a quick whip, I hear his cast spray
Out to just beyond the reeds, experienced
Where the bobber plunks down, wiggles, then stills.

He waits; while I tangled with worm around bloody hook
Eye him vaguely through the reeds--
He's intent on the bobber... we never talk.


With adolescence insight, I've discovered meaning in bait,
There hanging from the white/red ball;
Pretty and plastic, she dangles it for you.

I wander aimless, then bite, and snagged,
And she slowly reels me in, while I kick from the fear of it;
But it is really her I've had my eye on.

I saw the line and hook the worm was impaled on;
I understood its purpose, but I bit anyway;
Just to see, you know, to touch and explore her.

I imagined her elastic roundness,
Her white/red color wholly captures me;
She holds me from falling into the waters murkiness.

Strangely, in the light, just below wave and water,
It would be clear between us, secret from him;
All around her, around me, there would be no reeds.

I heard the click in his reel;
He was going for another cast, in a better spot, toward me,
Where a fish had jumped and laughed at him.


There were so many reeds, I could barely make him out,
So many memories growing, ailing, and dead;
I kept this to myself too, and allowed a reed to grow.

I backed away slowly, until one on top of another,
The reeds enveloped me alone,
Until I heard only wind rustle through dry hollow stocks.

Without instructions, I baited my own hook, pricking my thumb red
And cast out beyond the reeds, out into the deep,
Fishing.

Reviews

[Vol]

Anthony Devin Medeiros,
Wow. You have so much insight into how words should be woven! A rare gift! And storytelling is a hard skill to learn, though I think folks like you were probably born with it. I've been on this site for months and have encountered only a few who know what they are doing, but this is the first time you have popped up. I am so glad to find you here.
Vol