Week 3 Poem, inspired by D.H. Lawrence

Gone Fishing

I placed my fishing stick in the sea

On a warm, blue-skied day.

As I sat above and looked down into the

Other world, I saw him appear,

A blur at first, but steadily clearer.

He was stunning

With his swirls of

Yellow and turquoise and silver,

Admiring, craving the shrimp that slyly

Concealed the hook’s point.

On the far side of the bay,

The shore was sharp and the current strong.

The waves were furious,

Snapping against the rocks like a lion tamer’s

   whip.

But here, the waves sweetly

   caressed

And nurtured the trap, my trap,

Making a sweet cradle with its rolling ripples,

Seductively calling my prey closer.

The fish swam nearer and then

   farther

And then in circles, slowly and around,

Like a child’s merry-go-round

   he turned,

Stopping before the bait and watching,

Admiring it like a gluttonous man

Admires the cake he is about to devour.

But no attack.

Did he know?

Had he discovered my cleverly devised

   trap?

It is all in good fun;

I will, of course, not

   kill you.

I only want to admire your beauty,

Your shiny, capturing colors.

Then I will let you loose

And you will disappear into the deep, dark abyss

   Forever.

I close my eyes only to blink and,

Yes, a tug, a pull,

I’ve got you now!

How easy that was, I thought,

As I raised my stick

Up, up, up.

But what is this?

My bait is gone!

My hook is bare, shamefully

   exposed.

Curse you, fish!

You are nothing but a crook!

Stealing my bait

And surrendering nothing in return,

You are more cruel than the devil himself!

Stop tormenting me and

Bite the bait, the piercing hook.

Bite!

But it is no use,

He is gone, satisfied after his full

And tasty meal.

Thief.

You are too slimy, too cowardly

To bite and approach and face

   me,

Eye to eye, man to fish.

Well then! Have your fun now, because

I will be back

   tomorrow.