The Big Fish That Got Away

At Farmer John's pond, afternoon's sway,
A boy with hair, wiry sandy fray.
Shoeless, in the light of day,
Dreaming of a prize to lay.
His straw hat, a humble crown,
In a world so vast, so far from town.

Waldo, the beast beneath the blue,
A legend that in whispers grew.
For years, the chase was all they knew,
A dance of shadows, a fleeting view.
The boy, with hope in every cast,
Sought to grasp the legend fast.

The line, it danced a desperate song,
Between the right and almost wrong.
The boy, in battle fierce and long,
Believed his will was far too strong.
Yet, as victory neared its play,
Waldo found the strength to sway.

Back to the depths, the legend dove,
Leaving behind dreams and trove.
The boy, with heartbreak set above,
Felt his spirit push and shove.
Belief, a fragile, tender thing,
Felt the sharpness of defeat’s sting.

But as the hill rose to meet his stride,
An old man watched, his eyes so wide.
With a wink, he stood by the boy’s side,
"A fisherman’s tale," he gently implied.
"Isn’t just the catch, but the journey wide,
And the stories of those who tried and tried."

For in the tale of the one that fled,
Are lessons of life, woven and spread.
The patience, the struggle, the line we tread,
The dreams we harbor in our head.
Not every catch will grace our net,
But the pursuit, we must never forget.

So, young angler, hold your tale high,
Of Waldo, the fish, beneath the sky.
For in the chase, under the sun’s eye,
You’ve lived a story, bold and spry.
And in your heart, you know it’s true,
The fish wasn’t the prize—it was the view.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2024

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Kendrick Avatar
March 18, 2024 at 3:49 AM
Creative work you have penned in this one. Way to go. I hope the young man eventually caught a prize. Sara K
Iannone  Avatar
March 18, 2024 at 5:23 AM
Hello Sara, thank you for reading my poem and leaving a comment. If I remember correctly, the biggest prize in fishing is to learn patience. Laughing out loud. Best wishes, Dan.
Beaufort Avatar
March 16, 2024 at 2:18 PM
Don, this is another wonderful poem for those of us with any bad feelings of something that did not go exactly as we might hope. You're poems are really wonderful and you have really made my day! How about that! Smiling I am. The way that you entwine the lesson in a story makes it all the more powerful. Easy to remember for us forgetful folks.
Iannone  Avatar
March 16, 2024 at 5:41 PM
Duke, how wonderful that poems can connect us across the vast spanse of life. Smile on and revel in life’s laughter! Don
Lamoureux Avatar
March 16, 2024 at 7:08 AM
This is delightfully fun. Now where did I put that old fishing rod?
Iannone  Avatar
March 16, 2024 at 8:55 AM
Thanks Richard. Can’t find mine either. Let’s ask Skakespeare: the poet and fishing rod maker!
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