Elvers

Cold water, slimy weed
No socks, no shoes
Water snails between toes.
Wade along very carefully
Try not to tread on broken
Glass, jam jar in hand.
Watch for the wriggle,
Tiny elvers climbing
Up the wet, wet wall.
Sudden grab in hands
Hold tight to wade
Back to the wall
Plastic bucket safe.

Caught little fry
In long-handled nets
Put them in same bucket.
Back home in a tank
Less fish every day
But the elvers were …
The elvers were fatter.

Martin Delemare
23rd February 2008