still happy, regardless

he liked

to fish, the old man.

he liked to get up early and dig

for worms

in his back

yard

then put them in a paper cup

to take

down to the river,

where he'd

stand in the morning sunlight

and wait

for the first

bite on his cast

line and hook.

sometimes the fish

would

come home with him,

still alive

in a white

pail,

and other times it was

just him.

still happy,

regardless.