Yarrow House

Fish Story

He's a fisher, watching the fleet fade away. 
She's developing a resort, first summer. 
He stops in for fuel 
on his run down from Alaska. 
It's been a long season. 
They're both hungry. 

He invites her on a side trip
to “check out the fishing.” 
They're making love, dusk and a little rain,
the sports line out, hoping 
for flounder for dinner. 

They're coming, both of them, 
and the line sings out. 
		    They pause.
“Ah, it’s just the boat swinging,” he says.
They continue. So does the whine of the line. 

At last, he has to get up and check it out.
He was right. 
	      Just the boat swinging, 
but all around the hull the little herring 
jump and dart in the dark water,
phosphorescent blue sparks in the void. 

Published in Borderlands, Court Street Press, Seattle: 1999

Onetime reproduction for non-resale purposes permitted by the author with the following credit line:  by Judith Yarrow