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!