Fishnet Dude

dude steals across field

fence down signs swing like barn doors

way out of site

no entry is free

coupla good old boys scratch heads and get to their feet

thumbs in waistcoat dude addresses them on the price of fish

proof enough for me brother

common ground around here

earlier dude has sight of deeds in private vault

the words big cheese corp copperlate on manila envelope

soon talking heads helluva crowd pack into that field

check out prices boys uptown downtown turnaroundtown

cod shrimp scampi red snappers fresh whitebait

seahorse porpoise jellyfish & lobster all squarely kettled

in genteel quadriles of debate

bring up mullet herring or whelk tho'

and comic tempers may be frayed to a whoop

yet sportmanlike no smacked wrists for sticklers or touts

this overhead thru din of revels

how come so few cats dig this line of jive while thems that do talk the back legs off an octopus

don’t know what they missing eh bub

these days balmy days old dude hat checks and bows

newcomers in with welcomes & grooms

waffles and root beer on sale right here ma’am

coconut shy to your left sir

tombola on center kids

everythink a dime a throw

O man does the coin sack up a treat

one time word comes in of fish stocks washed up on lake shore

somewheres over farraway hills

long uns bloaters cute little tiddlers all crack tails and croak

bayloads just beached for the asking

should it be bells ringing or hands a-wringing

nature or nurture not sure O fishnet dude do tell

whither should we proceed with bucket and spade

but no answer comes from dude of any fish hole outing

a sorry blow to long-winders and anti-pork talkers

though many ain’t moved past an oh & an ah

while the more vocal gainsters just plain stone-wall

it too far away they pipe

poisoned fish got no price tag these parts

and what else is there to say

get the heck outta here if you wanna talk that snit

objectionable stink arises and abates

fluctuates as the wind picks up

then veers south

sky gleams deep blue grey

very ground appears to shift

whence old dude does quick line of nosepicks & shovels hollering

dig in all those that are sticking it out

so loud even stray cats hear his voice trailing off

meantime good old boys go round

with placcards proclaiming ground rent is due

and what secret code shuffles in that ornery phrase

suddenly all fish talk turns to bubbles

dude has sold out to big cheese corp

why yes it’s as your honour gassed

this whole land’s worth a googleplex in fracking rights

pip pip hooray hooray hooray

six months on winter has set in

the stolen ground frozen underfoot

stampers grumble over tinned pilchards

sardines in tabasco sauce© & all you can net for cheap

Philip Lee, 2013

Where's the Catch?