November 2007 l POETRY

Bob Beagrie

Night Fishing at Antibes

(Picasso 1939)

In the night sweat of high summer

I’ll catch ye a fishie, ma deary

I’ll catch ye a fine fat fish for supper!

A coble bobs amid green harbour lights

Two brothers crouch to peer over the side

Through their elongated reflections

Antibes behind celebrates with fireworks

I’ll catch ye a fishie, ma deary

I’ll catch ye a fine fat fish for supper!

Dora and Jacqueline stand on the quay

Their giggles quiver like mooring ropes

Ahoy, we’re hungry, catch us a fishie!

The brothers are drunk on sangria and beer

I’ll catch ye a fishie, ma deary

I’ll catch ye a fine fat fish for supper!

Dora wears a bright green scarf

Jacqueline licks at an ice cream cone

Their giggles quiver like mooring ropes

There’s a one, there’s a one! Dora points

I’ll catch ye that fishie, ma deary

I’ll catch ye that fine fat fish for supper!

Her calls fill the brothers with autumn smells

While fire flowers purple between the stars

Dora waves her bright green scarf

Two clowns in a coble dance for their queens

I’ll catch ye a fishie, ma deary

I’ll catch ye a fine fat fish for supper!

But Dora has sharp thorns in her mouth

And Jacqueline wears hard stones in her eyes

As she sits astride her bicycle

For the girls the brothers are glorious fools

I’ll catch ye a fishie, ma deary

I’ll catch ye a fine fat fish for supper!

The town is thronged with song and dance

The brothers are drunk on sangria and beer

One holds a fork, the other hides a club

The harbour is bathed in envy

I’ll catch ye a fishie, ma deary

I’ll catch ye a fine fat fish for supper!

Dora and Jaqueline look like aliens

In the night sweat of high summer

Dora and Jaqueline sing like sirens

Tonight these brothers will start to fight

I’ll catch ye a fishie, ma deary

I’ll catch ye a fine fat fish for supper!

Don’t wriggle so, brother, don’t nudge me over!

Though we’re after the same fishy, ma deary

Though we’re after the very same fish on a bike

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Bob Beagrie

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