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Merwin: I Feel Better About Fishing
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The Honest Angler
in your Inbox
January 15, 2010
Merwin: I Feel Better About Fishing
By John Merwin
My late friend and famous Field & Stream author Ed Zern could come up with a wry and funny remark regarding just about anything. As he wrote in 1977, “I get all the truth I need in the newspaper every morning, and every chance I get I go fishing, or swap stories with fishermen, to get the taste of it out of my mouth.”
Me, too. But at the same time news has become so much more immediate--and at times overwhelming--that it’s hard not to feel buffeted by current events.
This week’s disastrous earthquake in Haiti is the latest example. Incredible human suffering shows on every page and screen as I write this. It is impossible not to feel somehow touched by this while at the same time feeling a little helpless.
So this morning I stopped working, scheming, and writing about fishing long enough to make a modest contribution to the American Red Cross for disaster relief. This was not a lot to do, but at least I could feel as if I’d done a little.
And having done at least something, I’ll also then feel a little better about going fishing....
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Comments (8)
Yep, not much clears the mind more than some fishing.. I am in the mood to hit the South Platte. Nice of you to post the link to the Red Cross. A great org. I donate to them every year thru the Combined Federal Campaign, of course an extra 5-10 bucks from everyone in times like this help a bunch.
Mr. Merwin I love these "old" sayings and writings something about them..to the point, philosophical and very true. You guys always have a great way with words....thanks and Happy fishing
Mr. Merwin, I'd absolutely LOVE to sit down and have a beer w/you. You're my kind of guy. Actually, considering your staggering knowledge of fishing, I'd bring a whole case.
Mr. Merwin-
Really like your column, just don't write much. Nor did I realize (but should have) that you were a contemporary of Ed Zern. Some reprints of "Exit Laughing" would be very welcome on long winter nights when wind, tide or tired keep one from fishing.
if we all just gave a dollar. going to the platte myself this coming weekend hengst. best to you.
jbird: Yes, a case of beer would do it--in which case we'd all be staggering!
crm3006: Thanks for the kind words. I was not exactly a contemporary of Ed's--he was many years older than me--but we did become friends toward the end of his life, and I value those memories greatly.
Not sure how much truth is in the papers sometimes. But definitely wise to get rid of the taste of it. And so rue that nothing beats getting lost in nature for that.
Have to feel, not just because of the earthquake, but for all their tragedies that make this that much worse in Haiti.
For the Ed Zern disciples here is a link ...
http://www.ralphmag.org/CT/ed-zern.html
I got an interesting phone solicitation from World Vision the other night. Asking for prayers for Haiti. The fact that they wern't soliciting money prompts me to dig deep to give to the Red Cross.
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if we all just gave a dollar. going to the platte myself this coming weekend hengst. best to you.
jbird: Yes, a case of beer would do it--in which case we'd all be staggering!
crm3006: Thanks for the kind words. I was not exactly a contemporary of Ed's--he was many years older than me--but we did become friends toward the end of his life, and I value those memories greatly.
Yep, not much clears the mind more than some fishing.. I am in the mood to hit the South Platte. Nice of you to post the link to the Red Cross. A great org. I donate to them every year thru the Combined Federal Campaign, of course an extra 5-10 bucks from everyone in times like this help a bunch.
Mr. Merwin I love these "old" sayings and writings something about them..to the point, philosophical and very true. You guys always have a great way with words....thanks and Happy fishing
Mr. Merwin, I'd absolutely LOVE to sit down and have a beer w/you. You're my kind of guy. Actually, considering your staggering knowledge of fishing, I'd bring a whole case.
Mr. Merwin-
Really like your column, just don't write much. Nor did I realize (but should have) that you were a contemporary of Ed Zern. Some reprints of "Exit Laughing" would be very welcome on long winter nights when wind, tide or tired keep one from fishing.
Not sure how much truth is in the papers sometimes. But definitely wise to get rid of the taste of it. And so rue that nothing beats getting lost in nature for that.
Have to feel, not just because of the earthquake, but for all their tragedies that make this that much worse in Haiti.
For the Ed Zern disciples here is a link ...
http://www.ralphmag.org/CT/ed-zern.html
I got an interesting phone solicitation from World Vision the other night. Asking for prayers for Haiti. The fact that they wern't soliciting money prompts me to dig deep to give to the Red Cross.
Post a Comment