Fishing Boy

Verse 1

From a lily pad

A frog leaps—splish

Breaks the still water, kicks

Morning hum and cotton clouds drag

A boy floats nearby on raft of old pine

His world, built by bare hands

Thick twine, rough stick, with string tied to one end

His cane pole, pride for a small king

Chorus

Sun’s starting to press, shoving shadow away

Freckles and red on my shoulders today

Fishing boy, lazy lines in the bay

Fishing boy, let this drift never stray

Post-Chorus

Fishing boy, drifting on

Fishing boy, drifting on

Verse 2

Snake slides slick, tongue like a whisper

Hugging dark mud for cool escape

Nearby, turtle frowns and splashes down

Not tonight, snake—you won’t stay

Two soft rabbits roll, tangled close to the door

Twitching, tumbling, dust flying high

A pop, a crack—silent gone in the blink

Little shadows twitch indoors, gone dry

Chorus

Sun’s higher now, biting my skin

Shoulders singe as the raft gently spins

Fishing boy, clouds crawling by

Fishing boy, a cormorant flies

Post-Chorus

Fishing boy, drifting on

Fishing boy, drifting on

Bridge

A heavy raccoon thumps, rude and not quiet

Dunks his mask, water dark and wild

Splash and slap, catches a silver minnow

Lunch on the riverbank, cunning child

Verse 3

Snap—pole bends, my hand clenches tight

Fishing boy ain’t ready to quit

Back and forth, all muscle and will

Good channel cat, pulling in fits

Fight runs sharp through tangled line

Water churns in the hot July sun

I haul him in proud, stringer swings

Bait the hook for another run

Chorus

Wind brings sweet clouds, sun blinks away

Fishing boy, floating soft into gray

Fishing boy, stringer sways at my side

Fishing boy, still time drifting by

Post-Chorus

Fishing boy, drifting on

Fishing boy, drifting on

Outro

Day folding slow, shoulders warm and worn

Fishing boy, fishing on

Fishing boy, fishing on