Pearl Killers

The Allegheny is an ancient river

by most standards-

You'll find plenty of evidence

that shells once ruled the Earth;

It was on this river that my Dad

used his first Pearl Killer.

Now to say that the Allegheny

gives up the most beautiful of fish

would be an out and out lie,

but boys enjoy the ugly ones, too,

and you can always let them go.

Pearl Killers are some kind of lure,

or so I am told-

They have been known to attract

all sorts of things-

old tires, tree branches,

a motor or two,

sometimes even a wife and family,

if you're not careful.

My Dad stopped being careful one day.

He caught a strain of battered

small-town girl,

and took her away from the Allegheny

with the old Pearl Killer

still making her twitch.

I am the result of hunter and prey,

and those who followed me

learned of the Pearl Killers-

we are all missing

a gill or two.

There is someone near you right now

who has told you it loves you

a hundred times or so,

And if you can't respect that,

And if you can't share in that grace,

And if you feel like suddenly driving away from it,

And if you can't show it the love it deserves,

And if you got something better on the side,

For Christ's sake,

toss it back

into the Allegheny,

             

where it belongs.