True Blue Island

Peaks Island , Maine, USA

3:30pm 4/8/24

Old Men Fishing From A Bridge



I saw old men fishing from a bridge.

Poles secured to the railing,

Five gallon buckets beside them.

Leaning on the railing

Staring at the water.



At the end of the bridge,

parked along the road were trucks

real trucks – Chevys Fords, Dodges,

for this was Maine.



The old men watched; the inflowing tide,

The ruffle of wind on the water,

The eddys of flowing water

The tide’s slow rise.

They listened to the tern’s cries,

the eiders murmurs,

the water’s musical flow,

the wind’s voice.



Fishing is easy, catching a fish is hard,

Learning to fish is even harder.



The fisherman’s hands tell of the lessons

callouses  on thumb, scars

from hook or spines

muscles on the wrist and arm

(from casting and reeling)



And his face, red and peeling nose,

squinting eyes,

Weather darkened skin.



But none of these show the fisherman’s

Great lesson.



Patience!

waiting for opening day

the tide to change

the weather to clear

the wind to drop

the temperature to rise or fall.



Then!

The squawking terns!

The swirling flashing water

moves  closer!

Within casting distance!



Patience is repaid!



This day, beside the gray haired fisherman

A young boy, a grandson,

jerks his pole and reels,

reels in with young, happy arms.

A mackerel.

To be admired

By seven old men.



The lesson has started.

It’s easy to fish

harder to catch a fish,

harder still to learn how to fish.



Water must be watched,

and  birds, and wind, and the weather.

A fisherman must learn time and tide,

must learn from squinting

into the sun or rain.



Must learn there is always tomorrow,

another tide, another bridge,

or next season.



But mostly a boy

Learns of patience.



The patience of old men

Fishing from a bridge.



William R. Hinderer

Peaks Island, Maine

2009

A year ago April 6 we welcomed the shell to our shelter, built out to our specifications by Hill View Mini Barns in Gray. It is the anniversary of it being delivered to the island for me to finish the interior.  here are some before and after images.

Floor, wall, bunks, countertop space, closet, plants, food, 5gallon water jug, instruments and clothes , dog, child and mother later. We have a really decent space!

  Transforming personal space. Form follows function. Thank you to those who have helped support this effort of building  affordably and sustainably to live and learn from. Thank you to all who have shared water and electricity with us.

Now to finish the ceiling of this sanctuary, and moving to our own property where we can drill a well and continue to develop a larger design plan of sustainable homesteading.