Photos of the Poet fly fishing‘Fishing on the Fly’: Three Poems by James A. Tweedie The Society August 4, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry 21 Comments . Deschutes River Reverie The river, swift and shallow, roils its way Beneath the outstretched arms of old-growth pines, Past bank-side willows diamond-dewed with spray, And hillside ferns and thimbleberry vines. A fallen cedar, once a forest lord, Contributes to the nascent euphony As broken branches add a vocal chord To water-music’s choral symphony. Behind the cedar lies a quiet spot Where wrist-flicked Pregnant Adams gently lands. With flash and tug, a German Brown is caught And gently held in two well-moistened hands. The barbless hook removed, the trout set free, An Upper Deschutes River reverie. . Note: A “Pregnant Adams” is an artificial dry fly used in fly fishing. . . Golden Rainbow Silver shimmers swirl and eddy, Gurgle, splash, slip-slide away. Rounded river rocks unsteady Underneath my feet today. Hiding in the water’s shadows Hungry trout are standing by Hoping that the nearby meadows Feed them with a juicy fly. Carefully I creep and tarry With my fishing pole held tight. Hoping the dry-flies I carry Trick the trout to take a bite. With a practiced flick of wrist I cast my line and float my fly. Rising trout has hit—but missed! I’m ready for a second try. With my fly adrift I’m jerking It to make it look alive. Splash from where the trout is lurking— Barbless hook—it takes a dive. Carefully the fish is landed, Lifted to the light of day. As the fish is held wet-handed— Golden rainbows on display. Quickly now, the fish will be Released into the rushing stream. Then, when it has been set free, I’ll ever hold it as a dream. . . With Diced Potatoes on the Side When cleaning fresh-caught Brook or Rainbow trout One can remove or opt to keep the head. The fish’s viscera are gutted out And then the spinal vein is split and bled. A mess of smaller fish can then be fried In salt and butter in a cast-iron pan With diced potatoes sautéed on the side— A gourmet feast for any fisherman. With Steelhead, Salmon, Mackinaw, and Brown One can fillet and then sauté or bake A dinner entrée worthy of renown, Surpassing lobster, caviar, and steak. That said, for forty years I’ve been at peace To fish with barbless flies—catch and release. . . James A. Tweedie is a retired pastor living in Long Beach, Washington. He has written and published six novels, one collection of short stories, and three collections of poetry including Mostly Sonnets, all with Dunecrest Press. His poems have been published nationally and internationally in The Lyric, Poetry Salzburg (Austria) Review, California Quarterly, Asses of Parnassus, Lighten Up Online, Better than Starbucks, WestWard Quarterly, Society of Classical Poets, and The Chained Muse. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Trending now: 21 Responses Michael Pietrack August 4, 2022 I found these RobertFrostesque, alive with imagery and engaging the senses. Reply James A. Tweedie August 4, 2022 Thanks, Michael. Often, when fishing, I stop to feel the soundless hum of vast high-mountain space and the bite of the chill, crisp stir of early morning air, to taste the smell of wild onion, manzanita and sagebrush, to embrace the color of aspen in the fall and lupin, paintbrush and heather in the spring, and to dance with the the melodious gurgle splash of a snow-fed stream. Nature provides its own music, art, and poetry. My fly pole is just a magic wand that opens doors to experience wonders far greater than the mere catching of a fish. I have tried to capture a taste of that larger context in the first two poems. Reply Joshua C. Frank August 4, 2022 Yes, this was my thought as well… I love Robert Frost. These are great poems, all three of them. Keep up the good work! Reply Brian Yapko August 4, 2022 James, these are a delightful read! The joy you so artfully describe is palpable — especially in your Deschutes River reverie. I like your sly reference to the classical piece Water Music as well as your description of the fallen cedar as “once the forest lord.” Never heard of thimbleberries but what a great name! You make me miss the Pacific Northwest. Reply Roy E. Peterson August 4, 2022 James, I am certainly glad you explained the “Pregnant Adams!” All three are wonderful poems about the joys and enchantment of fishing. You took me back many years to my younger days. Like Brian, I really savored the fallen cedar reference as “once the forest lord.” I once lived in the Seattle area. I miss the fish and the fishing! Reply Russel Winick August 4, 2022 James – each of these delightful poems made me feel like I was there, even though I’m more of a bass guy. Practiced flick of wrist indeed. Wonderful work! Reply jd August 4, 2022 Not a fishing fan but our two sons love it and one of them, at least, makes a great effort to release them as painlessly as possible. Still, I enjoyed all three poems very much for their music and visuals and even some imagined aroma in the last. Reply James A. Tweedie August 4, 2022 Although the picture on the right shows a small but prized native Redband rainbow trout taken in Oregon’s Metolius River, my “home” for hiking and fishing is the High Sierra in California, usually between 7,000-11,000 feet. The picture of me on the left was taken by my brother on the Little Carson River just south of Lake Tahoe. Reply Jeremiah Johnson August 4, 2022 Liked the twist at the end of “With Diced Potatoes”! Reply Cheryl Corey August 4, 2022 All three are a fine tribute to the art of fishing; and “With Diced Potatoes…” is enough to make you salivate. Anyone who hasn’t seen it and loves fishing should watch the movie “A River Runs Through It”. P.S. Be careful on those rocks! Reply James A. Tweedie August 4, 2022 Cheryl, a beautiful and well-paced (slow) movie that carefully follows the short novel it is based on and avoids all thought of “making a statement” beyond telling a story. The photography and fishing scenes are authentic. Highly recommended for those who are otherwise stressed by a stressful world. Gods call, Cheryl. Reply David Paul Behrens August 4, 2022 In reading these poems, I felt transported into the wonderful world of nature. Now, I feel like cooking some fish. Thank you for these beautifully descriptive poems! Reply Margaret Coats August 4, 2022 Are you a Handel fan? I’ve always loved the Water Music, and find your poem quite creative in making water-music choral. “Deschutes River Reverie” is a remarkable description of the quiet fishing spot where every fisherman wants to stay and fish for restful hours as the river roils by. With Handel on my mind, I might say it reflects an atmosphere like that in the brief aria “Ombra mai fu” from the opera Xerxes. Reply James A. Tweedie August 5, 2022 It was indeed a shady spot and I can imagine that the river may well have been singing an aria commending the sweetness of the trees. Reply D Bunbury December 13, 2022 Years ago, I asked if someone was a Handel fan, and his reply was, “It depends on whose it is.” Reply Norma Pain August 5, 2022 James, these three poems brought the act of fishing to life for me, even though if I had to catch my own food, I would probably starve to death. I felt as if I was right there with you, enjoying all the joys of nature. Thank you. Reply Paul Freeman August 5, 2022 I enjoyed all three – very visual. Especially enjoyed the twist in the last line of ‘With Diced Potatoes’. Thanks for the reads. Reply Paul August 7, 2022 I love “Deschutes River Reverie,” James. Great meter and rhythm, and a compelling story. Reply Shaun C. Duncan August 7, 2022 This is a wonderful set of poems, James. Personally I’ve always found fishing to be a frustrating exercise but “Deschutes River Reverie” does a marvellous job of sharing the sense of communion with nature that fly fishing inspires in enthusiasts. The shift to common metre in “Golden Rainbow” works well to snap us out of the reverie and convey a sense of the thrill of the hunt, while the earthiness of the main body of “With Diced Potatoes on the Side” bookends the opening poem nicely, before the final couplet briefly returns us to the sense of reverie, closing the set with humour and grace. Great work! Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant August 8, 2022 James, I thoroughly enjoyed all of these poems, but especially “Golden Rainbow”. The rhyme and rhythm and lush linguistics are a treat. All that onomatopoeic wonder in the first stanza had me reveling in the mellifluous flow of water music. I also like the Wordsworth daffodils feel of recalling the beauty of the golden rainbows in a dream. Great stuff! Reply Alena Casey August 8, 2022 “With Diced Potatoes On the Side” made me hungry! You have lovely imagery in your poems. Thank you for sharing. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Michael Pietrack August 4, 2022 I found these RobertFrostesque, alive with imagery and engaging the senses. Reply
James A. Tweedie August 4, 2022 Thanks, Michael. Often, when fishing, I stop to feel the soundless hum of vast high-mountain space and the bite of the chill, crisp stir of early morning air, to taste the smell of wild onion, manzanita and sagebrush, to embrace the color of aspen in the fall and lupin, paintbrush and heather in the spring, and to dance with the the melodious gurgle splash of a snow-fed stream. Nature provides its own music, art, and poetry. My fly pole is just a magic wand that opens doors to experience wonders far greater than the mere catching of a fish. I have tried to capture a taste of that larger context in the first two poems. Reply
Joshua C. Frank August 4, 2022 Yes, this was my thought as well… I love Robert Frost. These are great poems, all three of them. Keep up the good work! Reply
Brian Yapko August 4, 2022 James, these are a delightful read! The joy you so artfully describe is palpable — especially in your Deschutes River reverie. I like your sly reference to the classical piece Water Music as well as your description of the fallen cedar as “once the forest lord.” Never heard of thimbleberries but what a great name! You make me miss the Pacific Northwest. Reply
Roy E. Peterson August 4, 2022 James, I am certainly glad you explained the “Pregnant Adams!” All three are wonderful poems about the joys and enchantment of fishing. You took me back many years to my younger days. Like Brian, I really savored the fallen cedar reference as “once the forest lord.” I once lived in the Seattle area. I miss the fish and the fishing! Reply
Russel Winick August 4, 2022 James – each of these delightful poems made me feel like I was there, even though I’m more of a bass guy. Practiced flick of wrist indeed. Wonderful work! Reply
jd August 4, 2022 Not a fishing fan but our two sons love it and one of them, at least, makes a great effort to release them as painlessly as possible. Still, I enjoyed all three poems very much for their music and visuals and even some imagined aroma in the last. Reply
James A. Tweedie August 4, 2022 Although the picture on the right shows a small but prized native Redband rainbow trout taken in Oregon’s Metolius River, my “home” for hiking and fishing is the High Sierra in California, usually between 7,000-11,000 feet. The picture of me on the left was taken by my brother on the Little Carson River just south of Lake Tahoe. Reply
Cheryl Corey August 4, 2022 All three are a fine tribute to the art of fishing; and “With Diced Potatoes…” is enough to make you salivate. Anyone who hasn’t seen it and loves fishing should watch the movie “A River Runs Through It”. P.S. Be careful on those rocks! Reply
James A. Tweedie August 4, 2022 Cheryl, a beautiful and well-paced (slow) movie that carefully follows the short novel it is based on and avoids all thought of “making a statement” beyond telling a story. The photography and fishing scenes are authentic. Highly recommended for those who are otherwise stressed by a stressful world. Gods call, Cheryl. Reply
David Paul Behrens August 4, 2022 In reading these poems, I felt transported into the wonderful world of nature. Now, I feel like cooking some fish. Thank you for these beautifully descriptive poems! Reply
Margaret Coats August 4, 2022 Are you a Handel fan? I’ve always loved the Water Music, and find your poem quite creative in making water-music choral. “Deschutes River Reverie” is a remarkable description of the quiet fishing spot where every fisherman wants to stay and fish for restful hours as the river roils by. With Handel on my mind, I might say it reflects an atmosphere like that in the brief aria “Ombra mai fu” from the opera Xerxes. Reply
James A. Tweedie August 5, 2022 It was indeed a shady spot and I can imagine that the river may well have been singing an aria commending the sweetness of the trees. Reply
D Bunbury December 13, 2022 Years ago, I asked if someone was a Handel fan, and his reply was, “It depends on whose it is.” Reply
Norma Pain August 5, 2022 James, these three poems brought the act of fishing to life for me, even though if I had to catch my own food, I would probably starve to death. I felt as if I was right there with you, enjoying all the joys of nature. Thank you. Reply
Paul Freeman August 5, 2022 I enjoyed all three – very visual. Especially enjoyed the twist in the last line of ‘With Diced Potatoes’. Thanks for the reads. Reply
Paul August 7, 2022 I love “Deschutes River Reverie,” James. Great meter and rhythm, and a compelling story. Reply
Shaun C. Duncan August 7, 2022 This is a wonderful set of poems, James. Personally I’ve always found fishing to be a frustrating exercise but “Deschutes River Reverie” does a marvellous job of sharing the sense of communion with nature that fly fishing inspires in enthusiasts. The shift to common metre in “Golden Rainbow” works well to snap us out of the reverie and convey a sense of the thrill of the hunt, while the earthiness of the main body of “With Diced Potatoes on the Side” bookends the opening poem nicely, before the final couplet briefly returns us to the sense of reverie, closing the set with humour and grace. Great work! Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant August 8, 2022 James, I thoroughly enjoyed all of these poems, but especially “Golden Rainbow”. The rhyme and rhythm and lush linguistics are a treat. All that onomatopoeic wonder in the first stanza had me reveling in the mellifluous flow of water music. I also like the Wordsworth daffodils feel of recalling the beauty of the golden rainbows in a dream. Great stuff! Reply
Alena Casey August 8, 2022 “With Diced Potatoes On the Side” made me hungry! You have lovely imagery in your poems. Thank you for sharing. Reply
