river blue
sparkling glinting
winking sunny-ruffled
unwinding in two lazy twists
sea eagles outstretched
before the sea

three boys roaming the banks
happy drifts of cares cast free
sunwarmed pools of cotton contentment
rubsmooth stones skipping
near Flat Rock

a fishing spot
where peering down prone
little coloured shards flit back and forth
yellow stripies
tiny blacktail
and silver eye
wise to the art of stripping bait gently
leaving only torn fragments
dangling forlorn on the hook
of boyhood desire

but today
two strangers
with hats and squints
have claimed the rock

so the boys stop
before the narrow inlet
their flat rock a cast away
fidgeting but respectful
voices subdued
watching

a grunt and a rod tips
the younger man hoves
slow strain but reel runs
stripping then brakes hot

man leaning back
throttling heavy
but not to snap

reel streams out again
but not as sharp
this time

another run blunted short
the younger man covetous
with urgent hands now

a great silver fish
thick as a mans thigh
breaks the surface
convulsive

the three boys stand
snap frozen in frank yearning
their stares grip tight

the older man
unwilling to yield
to oer’ hasty youth
but sliding into position
landing net poised
questioning

in foam bursts
the huge churning fish
flip flops closer
and closer
in frantic
bubble
smear

then silence
gentle undulating
deep ripply
river ribs

a line left dangling
twistles in the air
empty spiralling

boys stand unbelieving
somehow ashamed as if
mute witnesses to some
nameless trust betrayed