THE FISHERMAN - from my novel TO CATCH A FISH

You catch more than fish, don't you?
In the waters of the bay
You seek, not just a bite on your line,
But, also, words shared with a friend
In a time of quietness and peace.

When you are lucky and a string of fish
Dangles from the side of the boat,
With a gleam in your eye, you forget the chore
That will be yours--the messy scaling and gutting--
And anticipate the pleasure of
Giving them to a friend.

Not many people realize, as you do
That what you really catch to keep
Is what you give away.
The form may be fish,
But the gift is love.

Mary S. Palmer