Hardly March

What’s with all

the anglers in new gear,

and what’s with all

the spiders and whitefish?

It’s hardly March,

and you’d think

they’d all pulled

the plug on winter.

They’re stalking stuff

over the warm rocks,

pecking at pupae

in their boxes or

over the shallows

like there’s no tomorrow,

which is just as well

since tomorrow’s

supposed to be

back in the teens,

back to ice shelves

and slush in the water,

back to our dens and vices,

back under our rocks or

deep in the stacked water,

back to dormancy,

bobbins, feathers,

and whiskey.

But for now

in this brief heat,

let’s keep

the river posted:

MIDGES BEWARE OF

WHITEFISH AND SPIDERS.

WHITEFISH BEWARE

OF PEOPLE AND OSPREYS.

PEOPLE BEWARE

OF PEOPLE.