The wind was blowin' and waves were rough,
our little boat, she tossed and turned-
The skies were clear and the air was cool,
but still I got a nasty burn-

I wasn't thrilled and my stomach was queasy,
the weather just wasn't right-
My head was dizzy, my ears were ringin'-
and my face now pale and white-

I sat there miserable wishing for home,
but then, my pole bent double-
"You're hung," he said, "Give it here,"
"I knew you'd be trouble!"

I exclaimed, " I am not hung!"
There's a fish on this line-
His eyes lit up as he reached for the net,
"Set the drag!" He said with a whine-

The boat was turnin', the lines were tangled,
'Ol Charlie was puttin' up a good fight-
Determined I was that I would win,
if it took 'til morrow's light-

My hands were cramped, my arms were tiring,
then under the boat he dashed-
And down to the bottom once again,
my enthusiasm was beginning to crash-

By now I knew Charlie was fair,
fair sized that is, you see-
And this had become a battle royal,
Between nature, Charlie and me

I guess he was tiring as well as I,
for it was then he made his debut-
Up to the top he came with a bound,
and gave us our very first view-

Our eyes they met, as he shook and thrashed,
in a last ditch effort for success-
He dodged the net, in every direction-
finally he just had to rest-

Fish tales are told, many far-fetched,
they grow larger day by day-
But this time the story is all quite true ,
and he didn't get away-

© Lisa Hilbers
4/28/05