Fishing with Ruby

by Geoff Smith
(Carlisle, UK)

Fishing with Ruby

A circular tunnel entrance
It could have been a rat hole
Or a vole could have drilled
Into the soft earth by the river

But Ruby sat entranced
Whilst we fished for Trout
Unblinking she guarded
The entrance to the burrow

As we cast our float into
The stream, the worm wriggling
In the flow, we waited for the tell
Tale sign of fish on the line

Once from the corner
Of my eye, I thought I caught
Sight of something small, black
Whiskered, running above the bank

Turning I saw her move as well
She gave chase, lost the scent
Spent a penny returned to sniff around
Then sit, staring beneath the ground

Let the dog see the rabbit
Or the vole or even the rat
But we left empty handed
Her prey still hiding, the fish uncaught