Fishing: A Poem for Students

 Early morning trips to the beach for sunrise photos inspired this poem. It's great to use with students, as some of the most reluctant readers will be happy to share their own fishing stories in response! You can find the full formatted text with activities here: April Reading Homework for Test Preparation.

Some topics to discuss with this poem include the use of repetition, author's point of view, imagery, and alliteration. I hope that you enjoy this poem!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fishing

In the very early morning,

when the sky is still pink with dawn,

early risers leave their beds and head outdoors.

Going to the magical places where the water meets the land.

Going surf-fishing, going river fishing, going lake fishing, 

Going creek fishing at a hidden place that only they know.

Fishing takes patience, 

and hope,

and luck.

Whether you stand along a river’s edge

or the steep banks along a lake

or the sandy shores of the beach.

A tackle box is filled with treasures:

Rubber crayfish with brown and blue arms,

Bright yellow and orange swirly things, 

Sparkly plastic worms that don’t look the least bit alive.

Treasures with mysterious names,

things that no one ever uses except for fishing--

like lures and sinkers and snells.

The fish don’t always come, 

or they don’t always bite, 

or they steal the bait.

But if you look carefully 

you might see other things:

a heron wading in the water, fishing with its beak

a dragonfly that lands on your arm,

a squirrel that watches you as you watch it.

When people are fishing they are friendly

And they like to show off what they have caught:

“Look at this one. Put up quite a fight. It’s not a keeper, though.”

They share bits of knowledge:

“The fish out here are too smart. They’ll take your worms right off the hook

Then swim away and eat them.”

Days of fishing last through the early morning hours 

Until the sun is just about overhead

And everything has heated up so much

That the fish go way down deep,

Or somewhere else,

Or wherever they go when they’re not biting.

And the people on the beaches, or the banks, or the docks

Pack up the things they have brought—the fishing rods, the lines, 

the tackle boxes of treasures

(And sometimes coolers filled with the fish they have caught)

And head away from the magical places

 where the water meets the land. 

The whole trip home they talk about the fish that were there

or not there

And the equipment they had

or should have had

And what they will do next time

Because with fishing, there is always a next time—

another creek, another lake, another beach—

Another day of getting up with the sun

And trying to outsmart the sneaky swimmers

of the murky depths.

by Emily Kissner

©2024. Permission granted for single classroom use. This text may not be resold or included in any products offered for sale.