Dirty Trick
Those trout, swimming
for days, maybe weeks,
with my flies in their mouths,
they’re the ones that got away
with a style of piercing that’s come
more and more into vogue.
When I catch them
wearing the flies of others,
I am tempted to make
simple comparisons,
but punk just doesn’t do it,
nor does shrapnel,
though I lean toward the latter.
Matching the hatch is a dirty trick,
no matter how you play it,
and for the purist,
the dirtier the better.
Without a barb,
the hook goes deeper.
I don’t mean to think these thoughts,
but once thought, they stick,
and I carry them around in my mouth
for days, maybe weeks,
before I spit them out
and keep on fishing.