and ran - i did

and ran - i did

first i collected the tadpoles

from the well across the fields

then i tickled sticklebacks

from the little pluck dicing stones

roach came next enticed with dough

under a float upon the pluck

then running the flashing brook trout

with worms where the water weeds flow

meandering slow past llansamlet church

where grandpa is buried low

then of course the coarse fish pike and perch

in the tennant canal reeded blind

by the docks where the sea fish flow

hooking pouting and whiting and flatties

on the west pier where the night rats know

that the moon stones will be awash at full tide

when the dock lights shiver - you know

and a fist of rag worm wrapped in sand and cloth 
holds every boy‘s long hope upon the bay

aye

i’ve caught them all in my time

when as a child i caught time itself

running with the hares and kestrels

flying across the shivery-shakes 
and heather’s dusty flowers

     and lizards 
          and frogs 
               and toads

and bank voles in the mounds of grass

and water voles with streaming their Vs

down from heol las

never ever did i think 

that this 
one day 

would be just a dream 

for

i seem to have run out of bait my son

although i am running closer to my soil

where the sun is warm under grasses tall

and the breeze - well it’s just that breeze

that dried blood on bloody knees 

sleeping under the long sky

as deep as a big fishes lair

over the weir time has rock dashed

and the sun is setting in red sails fair

across an ocean with no destination

i am sailing there - with there there now

for yes   oh yes

i am sailing there and there