Hook Line and Sinker

Me, my brother Tom and Uncle Pat were on a fishing holiday
three men in a rowing boat way out in Dublin Bay
we anchored up and cast six rods over a sunken wreck
hoping for the catch of our lives to haul onto the deck
hours passed with the floats just bobbing up and down
Tom fell asleep and Pat sat watching with a frown
a ferry passed by and the swell nearly made us capsize
as I held onto the sides Pat stood there with staring eyes
his float had gone and the rod had bent double
I woke Tom up and told him we were in trouble
Pat grabbed the rod and with all the strength he had
he struck the line which went straight down, oh man this was bad
the boat began to list quite far and water was gushing in
we started bailing out, but Pat held firm he stood there with a grin
he had a bite that was pulling hard the line shot under the keel
only one fish had the strength for this, it was a giant conger eel
Tom rummaged through the tackle and handed Pat a knife
we shouted ‘cut the line’ or this fish could take a life
but he heaved and reeled then shouted ‘get the gaff’
we saw his head and great big teeth and said ‘you’re having a laugh’
Tom grabbed an oar and whacked it’s head, the oar it broke in two
Pat’s foot was in the firing line and the eel snapped at his shoe
the eel it thrashed; we kicked and lashed the eel half out the boat
but the eel was having none of it and was going for Pat’s throat
the screams were heard by other boats who came to our rescue
the next we knew the eel was dead killed by god knows who?
a harpoon in it’s head stuck out and we were showered in blood
Pat saw blood gushing from his foot, then fell with a sickening thud
we climbed aboard the other boat, the eel it was their prize
we lost our boat and rods, half a shoe plus two toes, It’s the truth, I tell no lies….

© 21/2/2014

For Caleb's Contest...Now it has been judged I can say it is all true....
Copyright © | Year Posted 2014

Poem

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12
Johnson Avatar
May 20, 2015 at 5:17 PM
holy moly Batman stay outa da water, i remember trying to rescue a freshwater eel, which my Blue Cattle dog dragged out of a water dam.. He was snapping at the bucket, the Eel, i was trying to get him in ...eventually i got him back in the water.
Guzzi Avatar
January 9, 2015 at 2:44 PM
Hi David just stopping by to let you know WHOOPIE my tea came! THANKS so much! I enjoyed the nice note as well. Please check your soup mail. Light & Love
Smith Avatar
June 3, 2014 at 1:00 PM
Wonderful telling of a great story, David... Truly enjoyed it... Arlene
Guzzi Avatar
June 2, 2014 at 7:51 PM
Perfect story to make into a haibun! I've been missing you thanks for stopping by! I think of you & yours every morning with my cuppa :) Light & Love
Devonshire Avatar
May 30, 2014 at 5:24 PM
Oh my goodness, David. A true story? Wow, I've never even seen a conger eel. I'm so glad you are still alive to share this fascinating encounter with us. The closest I came was a 15-foot tiger shark that played with me for hours before surfacing and revealing itself. Thought I had the world's largest grouper. LOL Love this poem. Goes to my faves.
Carrillo Avatar
May 24, 2014 at 1:03 PM
This was a great story/poem and quiet an adventure. Thanks for sharing... Lucilla
Kos Avatar
May 23, 2014 at 3:42 PM
I had commented on this yesterday and deleted it accidentally when editing it. SOrry. THankyou for your Review on My hovercraft full of eels --- Hook Line and Sinker is a Poem i truly enjoyed very much and I wish had read it before! It's awesome to find an eel here. I love the Title too.
Shiells Avatar
May 13, 2014 at 5:53 PM
Sorry for the typos error:-(
Shiells Avatar
May 13, 2014 at 5:49 PM
WOW David, This was an exquisite mesmerfizing write for sure. I felt as if I was on that boat. Great great write. Congrats on your win. Here are is ten more gold stars. Thanks for sharing with us this poem. Thanks for visiting too. Love and Peace, Deborah
Guzzi Avatar
May 6, 2014 at 9:03 AM
Holey moley! That must have been both exhilarating and frightening! Conrad's on your win. Light & Love
Rodgers Avatar
May 1, 2014 at 2:43 PM
Congrats on your win and the one that didn't get away
Beam Avatar
May 1, 2014 at 9:33 AM
congrats David on win
Dietrich Avatar
April 30, 2014 at 5:01 PM
good for you, David. this sure merited a top spot in Caleb's contest. I remember this one and that cute ending. Congrats.to you.
Hamilton Avatar
April 30, 2014 at 5:59 AM
a marvelous tale David congrats on win hugs
A. Sharma Avatar
April 30, 2014 at 4:40 AM
David a great poem n so is the win ! Congrats !
Mehta Avatar
April 30, 2014 at 2:18 AM
Enjoyed your write on fishing and congrats on the win, David
Marcum Wong Avatar
April 30, 2014 at 12:32 AM
Oh my goodness what an experience, and you made it rhyme too! Wonderful title for a truly exceptional winning poem! Big Kudos on your win David.
Gorelick Avatar
April 29, 2014 at 10:26 PM
Holy Cow, now that's a fish story..! congrats on surviving..and for the big win. BG
May Avatar
April 29, 2014 at 7:53 PM
Congrats on your win David
Dillard Avatar
April 29, 2014 at 5:53 PM
Sounds like one bad motor scooter! I hope I never set a hook on one of these! RAY
Onclaud Avatar
April 29, 2014 at 5:07 PM
a story so well woven,. dave... sweet congrats on your high win.. huggs
A   Avatar
April 29, 2014 at 4:54 PM
WOW, David,,, what a day... I enjoyed the story, and details, and the fact that it was no lie :)... Enjoyed... Congratulations, in Caleb's "Gone Fishin'" contest.. always~ TEX
Hunter Avatar
April 29, 2014 at 2:52 PM
David, thank you for entering my contest. i very much enjoyed this entry...now THAT'S a fishing story!..ha. Couldn't have made that up even if you'd tried....
Horsman Avatar
April 12, 2014 at 11:02 AM
amazing story David,,,would like to see your poems and yourself back,,,,
K. Avatar
March 21, 2014 at 2:00 PM
Wow, what an experience this must have been, and I reckon so unforgettable! This was a fun read, I enjoyed this very much, very action-packed, umm ok, I can't resist reading comments in poems & I read how this could be a big fish story-- ummm is it or is it not? I also noticed you had deleted most of your poems.... I hope all is well with you David...
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