Patience Rewarded

He’d angled for an hour at least

     With patience fine and rare;

Go home without a well-stocked creel?

     Ah, no, he didn’t dare.

At last a tug, a tautened line,

     He gave the butt right smart;

A doubled rod – “By George, he’s hooked!

     Now for the angler’s art.”

Slowly he reeled, the current veered

     His prey both left and right;

He yielded, sulked then sped away

     To reach the rapids white.

Snubbed! Slowly, surely to the boat –

     Be still, O tingling blood!

He grabs the landing net and lifts

     An old shoe filled with mud.

    

Sept. 24, ‘07