wind from the west, fish bite the best

I was 3 maybe 4 when I caught my first fish
but turned out I was the one hooked
by 12 I knew every bay
cut and oyster reef
between our pier
and the Gulf of Mexico
then life dipped me up
in its slimy dip net
saying, boy you need real learning
to make it in the world
I tried to explain that I already knew
what was being taught
they said, don’t sass your teachers
so I was patient and listened
then life said, son you need to work
none of the jobs
were the ones I wanted
but money being the evil
fed to us to sustain life
I was patient
assholes and elbows as they say
all the while
reverse-engineering my life
the saltwater in my veins
feeling the pull of every full moon
ever leading me still
to my home port