tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25376544.post116551000136217973..comments2023-03-26T03:31:29.804-04:00Comments on The Average Steelheader: Poem Written during a long (insignificant) MeetingPaulGHurtubisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12625538199096088576noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25376544.post-1165880224130949562006-12-11T18:37:00.000-05:002006-12-11T18:37:00.000-05:00This morning in the black we toe-tap dumbly and wa...This morning in the black we toe-tap dumbly and wade by touch.<BR/>The river moves constant against our legs, gravity tugging it north then west.<BR/>Out of sudden eddies, salmon explode.<BR/>The moon and hers hover over the day, and under all those blinking eyes of the dead<BR/>I might remember to fish our morning<BR/>as carefully as a deer hiding in her own stillness.<BR/>At the horizon the light is still dim.<BR/>Breaking the tick, tickety tick of split lead<BR/>bouncing behind the whirling fly just<BR/>off the bottom, the rod jerks hard twice<BR/>then bows like a hilltop to the east.<BR/>The steelhead breaks downstream<BR/>and I am lost with the fish<BR/>my feet moving over rocks,<BR/>through shallows as if I'm water.<BR/>A solid pull, the head swing,<BR/>a short run, line whining<BR/>off the reel and I'm lifted<BR/>from the gravel bottom when<BR/>he blows through the water<BR/>and into the morning,<BR/>silver, catching the moon<BR/>in his cupped tail,<BR/>spoon-head swinging,<BR/>and every scale<BR/>throwing light,<BR/>glowing backward<BR/>toward the water<BR/>like a diving star<BR/>so bright he might glow<BR/>or steam when he lands<BR/>splashing, sending the river breaking<BR/>like glass, splintering into a mist.<BR/>But when he comes down, it's all black<BR/>and the line in one last whip pulls and goes limp.<BR/>The rod is straight as an alder limb in summer.<BR/>I stand in the dark sweating, the roar of water<BR/>in my ears, the stars wheeling above<BR/>toward the west, darker now, farther on.<BR/>The river lights faintly, my hands tremble<BR/>with the fluttering leaves on the bank,<BR/>my feet planted firmly on the stone bottom.<BR/><BR/> <BR/>Hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed yours.....cheers (and by the way we really TUNED 'em on Sunday bro!!! LOL!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25376544.post-1165611035730995052006-12-08T15:50:00.000-05:002006-12-08T15:50:00.000-05:00Lovely read.THXLovely read.<BR/>THXTrotskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13914929381289648251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25376544.post-1165602533342039622006-12-08T13:28:00.000-05:002006-12-08T13:28:00.000-05:00Joe, that would be self-denial, which is an excerc...Joe, that would be self-denial, which is an excercise in which one can 'indulge' without being pious. Nah I'm just talking about their pilgrimmage to (for them) the land of hoo-hah!<BR/><BR/>p.-PaulGHurtubisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12625538199096088576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25376544.post-1165593558293960872006-12-08T10:59:00.000-05:002006-12-08T10:59:00.000-05:00Superb, as usual.Can I mssume that when I go long ...Superb, as usual.<BR/><BR/>Can I mssume that when I go long periods without fish activity that they are simply being pious?<BR/><BR/>Hope to see you next week, I want to tighten up my focus on the East.<BR/><BR/>Cheers,<BR/><BR/>JoeChinook7https://www.blogger.com/profile/08389083355966631525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25376544.post-1165518556605063222006-12-07T14:09:00.000-05:002006-12-07T14:09:00.000-05:00grazie coglione! haha! for a second, I thought I w...grazie coglione! haha! for a second, I thought I was actually getting a compliment, but I know when the bello stronzo is on the loose!<BR/><BR/>p.-PaulGHurtubisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12625538199096088576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25376544.post-1165518017604160502006-12-07T14:00:00.000-05:002006-12-07T14:00:00.000-05:00Wow, you are very talented and should be published...Wow, you are very talented and should be published or at least appreciated by your fellow man...it is a pleasure reading about your boys and your adventures as a Dad.<BR/><BR/>Ciao Bello StronzoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com