Late Night Reflections

[Poppy]

Late Night Reflections

The moon shines through the fog like a London
streetlight, a faded glisten on the water as the
dull light only highlights the shadows. Its
peaceful and serene and for a moment I forget
why I am there, readily happy to just take in
the moment.

Gazing at the night sky a lone meteor shoots
across the heavens, and I wonder where it
came from, knowing it ended before touchdown.
The peaceful silence is broken when a Great
Blue Heron squawks in the distance. Did it
witness the same thing?

They come out at night, the big brown trout,
and I know their near when I hear big splash’s as
their nocturnal ritual begins, feeding on baitfish
and other small critters trying to escape as a late
dinner for the brown family. I cast my fly to the
sounds hoping I fool them.

This darkness, is this what a blind man sees,
perpetual black with hints of light interspersed
with keen hearing? The night void of other
interruptions causes sounds to be clear and
distinct. Some I mentioned, others are unknown
and startling.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown continue their feeding, ignoring
my offering and denying me the thrill of feeling
the line go taut and the heavy pull as it tries to
get away from this unfamiliar interruption. Maybe
tonight I won’t get to experience that thrill. No,
tonight it wasn’t to be.

The way back to the trailhead winds through the woods,
amongst large trees, brush, and giant rocks. The walk
is a good time to reflect on old fishermen who have walked
this very path and how their time here would be similar
to mine. Did they feel the same way; was it the catching
that was most important?

Or was it just the fishing.

[PrinceMyshkin]

This


Late Night Reflections

This darkness, is this what a blind man sees,
perpetual black with hints of light interspersed
with keen hearing? The night void of other
interruptions causes sounds to be clear and
distinct. Some I mentioned, others are unknown
and startling.


is mervellous as is much of the imagery throughout but you could be taken out and shot for your lousy sense of where to break a line for maximum effect. Other than working in metre, one of the commonly favoured ways is to model a line on ones breathing; break the line, that is, where there's a natural pause or where you want to create some emphasis:




Late Night Reflections

The moon shines through the fog like a London streetlight,
a faded glisten on the water
as the dull light only highlights the shadows.
It's peaceful and serene and for a moment
I forget why I am there,
readily happy to just take in the moment.

Gazing at the night sky I see]a lone meteor
shoot across the heavens,
and I wonder where it came from,
knowing it ended before touchdown.
The peaceful silence is broken
when a Great Blue Heron squawks in the distance.
Did it witness the same thing?

They come out at night, the big brown trout,
and I know they're near
when I hear big splashes
as their nocturnal ritual begins,
feeding on baitfish and other small critters
trying to escape as a late dinner for the brown family.
I cast my fly to the sounds hoping to fool them.

This darkness, is this what a blind man sees,
perpetual black with hints of light
interspersed with keen hearing?
The night void of other interruptions
causes sounds to be clear and distinct.
Some I mentioned, others are unknown
and startling.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown continue their feeding,
ignoring my offering and denying me
the thrill of feeling the line go taut
and the heavy pull as it tries to get away
from this unfamiliar interruption.
Maybe tonight I won’t get to experience that thrill.
No, tonight it wasn’t to be.

The way back to the trailhead
winds through the woods, amongst large trees,
brush, and giant rocks. The walk is a good time
to reflect on old fishermen
who have walked this very path
and how their time here would be similar to mine.
Did they feel the same way; was it the catching
that was most important?

Or was it just the fishing.

That will be $1.98 (Canadian funds, please).

[ampoule]

Very neat Poppy.

[Poppy]

This





That will be $1.98 (Canadian funds, please).

Thanks mon ami, it has been duly noted, revised and archived ... and the checks in the mail...

~Poppy

[firefangled]

...was it the catching
that was most important?

Or was it just the fishing.


Ah! Poppy. Something I've argued many times with those who ask how can I stay out there all day and all night to catch one fish?

It's the journey always, never the destination.

[CdnReader]

This is a lovely piece, Poppy. You have such a distinctive voice and your poetic "nature" is just beautiful. :)

[motherhubbard]

Poppy, that was wonderful. I think each one gets better. I do agree with Jerry about where to break your lines-

I loved the ending, but I also loved this thought


This darkness, is this what a blind man sees,
perpetual black with hints of light interspersed
with keen hearing?


The night void of other
interruptions causes sounds to be clear and
distinct. Some I mentioned, others are unknown
and startling.


I boke it up because I liked the first part so well, and the other made me think of the time we were camping and you and maybe it was Mike were walking and heard the bull frog :lol:

[Poppy]

Poppy, that was wonderful. I think each one gets better. I do agree with Jerry about where to break your lines-

I loved the ending, but I also loved this thought



I boke it up because I liked the first part so well, and the other made me think of the time we were camping and you and maybe it was Mike were walking and heard the bull frog :lol:

Thanks dear...well actually it was Mike...you woulnd't think an ol bullfrog would scare this pillar of manhood do you????

Thanks very much fire and cdn...I appreciate your comments.

[Poppy]

Ah! Poppy. Something I've argued many times with those who ask how can I stay out there all day and all night to catch one fish?

It's the journey always, never the destination.

Same here fire...I have fished with and know plenty of people that go fishing and get stressed to the point they give it up. Its not about that at all.

[CdnReader]

Same here fire...I have fished with and know plenty of people that go fishing and get stressed to the point they give it up. Its not about that at all.

I knew someone once who felt that way about golf. I couldn't figure out why he wanted to spoil a lovely afternoon on the course by stressing out over getting the perfect shot.

My dad always said "That's why they call it fishing, not catching," but I bet that's one that you've already heard a million times over. LOL!

[firefangled]

I knew someone once who felt that way about golf. I couldn't figure out why he wanted to spoil a lovely afternoon on the course by stressing out over getting the perfect shot.

My dad always said "That's why they call it fishing, not catching," but I bet that's one that you've already heard a million times over. LOL!

Funny you should mention golf, Cdn. I have always thought there are some aspects of golf that are akin to fly fishing. Patience and getting that ball in a hole is like trying to get a dry fly underneath an overhanging branch 10 feet on the other side of the stream without getting it caught in the trees, except the fly fishing is much harder.

You know a bow cast, Poppy?

[CdnReader]

Funny you should mention golf, Cdn. I have always thought there are some aspects of golf that are akin to fly fishing. Patience and getting that ball in a hole is like trying to get a dry fly underneath an overhanging branch 10 feet on the other side of the stream without getting it caught in the trees, except the fly fishing is much harder.


Oh, I'm sure I could produce a few golfers that would like to play devil's advocate on that statement, but I'll stay out of the fray. LOL! I have still-fished, and cast, and trolled, and ice-fished, but I only went fly-fishing one time -- in the Kootenay wilderness of British Columbia -- and thought it was utterly magical. Perhaps that's why I'm enjoying Poppy's depictions so much.

[PrinceMyshkin]

Oh, I'm sure I could produce a few golfers that would like to play devil's advocate on that statement, but I'll stay out of the fray. LOL! I have still-fished, and cast, and trolled, and ice-fished, but I only went fly-fishing one time -- in the Kootenay wilderness of British Columbia -- and thought it was utterly magical. Perhaps that's why I'm enjoying Poppy's depictions so much.

Hey, Cdn, Fire, Poppy! If you guys think that the rest of us do not understand these references to


still-fishing, casting, bow-casting, trolling, ice-fishing and trying to get a dry fly underneath an overhanging branch 10 feet on the other side of the stream without getting it caught in the trees

as anything other than some esoteric form of erotica, you've got another think coming!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X04wZpqx3U for something on the philosophy of golf!

[Pendragon]

Nature's Poet delivers another! That last line would be what fishermen refer to as a "keeper."

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l108/AbsalomKane/Geezer.gif

[Poppy]

Funny you should mention golf, Cdn. I have always thought there are some aspects of golf that are akin to fly fishing. Patience and getting that ball in a hole is like trying to get a dry fly underneath an overhanging branch 10 feet on the other side of the stream without getting it caught in the trees, except the fly fishing is much harder.

You know a bow cast, Poppy?

I like this quote fire: "I am not against golf, since I cannot but suspect it keeps armies of the unworthy from discovering trout..." - Paul O’Neil


Hey, Cdn, Fire, Poppy! If you guys think that the rest of us do not understand these references to



as anything other than some esoteric form of erotica, you've got another think coming!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X04wZpqx3U for something on the philosophy of golf!

:lol: :lol: :lol:


Nature's Poet delivers another! That last line would be what fishermen refer to as a "keeper."

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l108/AbsalomKane/Geezer.gif

Thanks Pen, means alot to me.

~Poppy

[Poppy]

You know a bow cast, Poppy?

Fire, actually I do, and if you are caught on a stream with little or no room for a back cast and a roll cast is not practical, then the bow is ideal.
Or if like you say you want to drop a dry fly right on top of a fish or under a cut bank its ideal for that within a reasonable range, say 4 to 8 ft. But be CAREFUL, its a great way to hook those fingers...:bawling:
Just put the fly between thumb and forefinger, pull all of the line taut, leaving no slack line and shoot it to the target like a bow and arrow.