Meditation on Fish
by Maralee Gerke

In late summer twilight,
he walks along a dusty road.
Each step a letting go.
As he seeks the shadow, the cool,
the tranquil riverbank.

Mosquitoes buzz, bees pollinate blackberries
but he doesn’t notice.
As he wades knee deep, in the quiet stream
a bamboo rod and fly in hand
his mind begins to calm.

Fish rise to the surface
to gorge on the summer abundance
of damsel flies, and mosquitos.
He casts his fly among the horde.
With feet firmly planted on rock
he casts and casts again.

The sweat of the day
cools on his brow and
he becomes the stream, becomes
the fly, becomes the rocks.
Shadows deepen as he walks home empty handed
with the posture of a peaceful spirit.


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