Sitting with empty creels
on the bright side of the water
we believe there are no fish.
Billy Hoops lands beers
from the tumbling river
and tells us the secret.
You get three chances with trout,
he says.
Dawn, because they are hungry;
mid-morning, if they are curious;
and dusk, just before dark,
because trout don’t trust the dawn
Then Billy throws chance back
and casts to the first pool.