If the all-ruling Power please
We live to see another May,
We'll recompense an age of these
Foul days in one fine fishing day:
We shall then have a day or two,
Perhaps a week, wherein to try,
What the best Master's hand can do
With the most deadly killing fly;
A day without too bright a beam,
A warm, but not a scorching sun,
A southern gale to curl the stream,
And (Master) half our work is done.
Then whilst behind some bush we wait
The scaly people to betray,
We'll prove it just with treacherous bait
To make the preying trout our prey;
This (my best Friend) at my poor home
Shall be our pastime and our theme,
But then should you not deign to come
You make all this a flatt'ring dream. ~ Charles Cotton
