Covetous fisherman, drag in their weary nets,
Sorry, vile and forlorn; sacking the scornful sea.
Childish evil smiles steal as much as nature lets,
As bulging zealous fish flutter at this ambiguity.
Worn-out lesser heroes both of them, still competing,
Both coward-like thieves who grovel for their lives,
The frightened fish leap and fall and die, quivering,
In final protest they gasp for what air denies.
The valiant men, bent-shouldered, ever trumpeting,
Laugh and draw close their lifeless victory,
And rush to celebrate the promise of a new morning,
While doubts, in some hearts, arise from this misery.
For the taste of mortality, like bone, lies wedged in the throat.
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Author:
David Wakeling (
Offline) - Published: March 2nd, 2026 01:50
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 26
- Users favorite of this poem: sorenbarrett
Offline)
Comments3
A vivid picture painted in words but below the surface of this painting seems to lie a metaphor as well. It is in the last line that I draw meaning from this work. Very nicely done and a fave
Thank you so much mi amigo.Greed or Avarice can be necessary and evil at the same time.
Indeed they may being human concepts they may not fit nature's values. You are most welcome
Mortality gets me all the time, more so now at this time of life🙏🏻🕊️
Thank you so much mi amigo.Yes mortality is challenge sometimes.
Cheers, compadre 🙏🏻🕊️
Your poem reflects on the relationship between fishermen and their catch, symbolizing humanity's insatiable desire for more—whether it be wealth, resources, or power—at the expense of nature and life.
Indeed it does.Thank you so much for commenting
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