The Angler. John Chalkhill (fl. 1600?). III. The Seasons. Bliss Carman, et al., eds. 1904. The World's Best Poetry. V. Nature

Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume V. Nature. 1904.

III. The Seasons

The Angler

John Chalkhill (fl. 1600?)


O THE GALLANT fisher’s life,
It is the best of any!
’T is full of pleasure, void of strife,
And ’t is beloved by many;
Other joys	5
Are but toys;
Only this
Lawful is;
For our skill
Breeds no ill,	10
But content and pleasure. * * * * *
When we please to walk abroad
For our recreation,
In the fields is our abode,
Full of delectation,	15
Where, in a brook,
With a hook,—
Or a lake,—
Fish we take;
There we sit,	20
For a bit,
Till we fish entangle.

We have gentles in a horn,
We have paste and worms too;
We can watch both night and morn,	25
Suffer rain and storms too;
None do here
Use to swear:
Oaths do fray
Fish away;	30
We sit still,
Watch our quill:
Fishers must not wrangle.

If the sun’s excessive heat
Make our bodies swelter,	35
To an osier hedge we get,
For a friendly shelter;
Where, in a dike,
Perch or pike,
Roach or dace,	40
We do chase.
Bleak or gudgeon,
Without grudging;
We are still contented.

Or we sometimes pass an hour	45
Under a green willow,
That defends us from a shower,
Making earth our pillow;
Where we may
Think and pray,	50
Before death
Stops our breath;
Other joys
Are but toys,
And to be lamented.	55