Poem - My Red-spotted Trout

Post date: Aug 11, 2020 8:53:38 AM

By Davlo Diggle  

On a sunny late spring afternoon

I sat fishing at my favourite place

When along came a hobbit lass

With a pole and a pretty face

“What you catchin’?” she asked

Sneaking a peek in my basket

“Just some nice trout,” I replied

As she took her pole and cast it

No sooner than it hit the water

Her bobber went out of sight

And she caught a big ol’ trout and yelled

“Now that’s what I call a bite!”

She looked at me all proud and said

“You must be doing something wrong

For I caught this huge fish here

None you have are this long!”

So I grabbed a fish and simply claimed

“But I have lots and you have few

And if you glance at my big trout

The fish looks just like you”

“It’s a Red-spotted Trout you see

This is what makes it special

The red colour matches your hair

And the spots look like your freckle”

“It does not!” she cried, “You’re being silly”

And it’s simply not the case!”

It was then that I grabbed that fish

And slapped it gently across her face

“YOU WIPE THAT SLIME OFF ME RIGHT NOW!”

I knew her patience was wearing thin

I quickly grabbed my hankerchief

And wiped off her cheek, nose and chin

“You’re a brave lad,” she said, and pushed me down

Grabbing a handful of flowers and grass

“This outta teach you real good

For teasing a hobbit lass!”

She sat on my belly, grass in hand

And rubbed it through my hair

When all of a sudden a smile came on her face

And I had never seen anything so fair

“I have to go home now, be here tomorrow.”

Then she gave me a good-bye kiss

As she ran off, I thought another day

Could never be as good as this

We fished together every chance we had

And danced in fields of flowers

We would look into each other’s eyes

And minutes lasted as hours

A year has passed and now’s the day

When this tale should come to a close

For we plan to meet at our fishing place

This morning I shall propose!

The morning has passed, and noon and night

My heart started to fill with sorrow

And as I walked myself back home

I thought, “She’ll be there tomorrow”

An early morning knock awakened me

A hobbit should know better!

And as I opened up the door

‘Twas the quickpost with an urgent letter

A hastily made note addressed by her father

I ripped it open and read

“I’m sorry I cannot come in person lad

The family is full of dread”

“Yesterday on the Brandywine Bridge

My daughter stopped to look around

She slipped and fell, she banged her head

I’m afraid our love has drowned”

“The water swept her away

To where we do not know

I, myself, shall never rest

Until I find where she did go”

Her father's words stuck in my mind

My heart it felt the same

To have everything you love just ripped away

My soul’s now without flame

So now I fish the Brandywine

Throwing my line about

Hoping I can catch again

My beautiful Red-spotted Trout

This poem  won third prize at the Summer Poetry Contest earlier this year (2020)

Congratulations, Master Davlo! That was well deserved!