Fishing with my Dad

The sun beats down on the water’s face

And the waves caress the shore

The gulls soar upon a gentle breeze

And float down to explore

My hand grasps the fishing pole

As I climb among the rocks

To sit beside my father

Who is looking toward the docks

He carefully threads the wiggling bait

Onto my weighted lure

He casts it to the water

So I’ll catch a fish for sure

Beside my dad I sit for hours

And watch the sunset fall

The time together’s precious

So it won’t seem long at all

The bridge’s lights are glowing

Like a diamond necklace hung

Across the glassy water

In the night that is so young

We talk about the daytime

How it all went by so fast

We talk about the stars above

And wish that this could last

A tug upon my line

Pulls me from my reverie

A shriek of shock escapes my lips

There’s a beast beneath the sea!

My line begins to fly away

But my tiny grip is strong

The fish fights for what seems like hours

Though it wasn’t near that long

Give a little, take it back

Pull it to the shore

My dad helps me to keep my stance

As it gives a little more

Finally, as my strength is spent

The monster starts to tire

This lights within me hope

Burning, blazing like a fire

A few seconds later,

There he is! upon the pier

A quite impressive trophy

And it causes us to cheer

The goal is met, and fish in hand

We head back to the truck

Smiles wide, and spirits high

We marvel at our luck

The beaches in Rhode Island

Can be rocky, cold and wet

But the nights I spent there fishing

Are a thing I can’t forget

I think about that night sometimes

And smile at it still

The fish is gone and pictures fade

But the memory never will