Trout Fishing in Ireland
Doing as usual nothing I was, other than
observing the man standing on the bridge fishing—
bent slightly forward, elbows on the rail, hands extended,
though his fishing pole was oddly missing.
Odd indeed since this river was among the best for trout fishing
in all of Ireland. It was as clear to me as the river beneath him
that he was doing catch and release but with the catch part left out—
still retaining the pleasure of watching the fish skitter off into freedom
without the likely permanent trauma of a bloodied hook
stuck in the mouth while gasping for tentative breath.
His many decades of practicing catch and release,
catch and release had brought him this wisdom and generosity.
Several brown trout frolic in the crystal clear waters
below him, so visible and at ease,
feasting on succulent bugs off the surface,
grateful for their liberty without knowing quite why.
Original Publication – The Moving Force Journal Issue 6 2022