My Heritage

My Heritage is better out loud, so as difficult as it is for me to watch, I am posting a video of my presentation of the poem at the 2015 Fisher Poets Gathering in Astoria. Hope you all enjoy.

I cling to the last vestige of my heritage
I cling like barnacles cling to a ship
Like rock climbers cling to a grip
Like skinny jeans cling to the hip
And dog hair clings to polar fleece

The water provides something solid that land never can
Tho people don’t understand
The need to quit the land
Launch out from the strand
And let the mindset of town just cease

Our way of life may be ceasing as well as more and more people move to the area
Limited entry means the power of our voice shrinks
And our hope for the future sinks
And no matter how much it stinks
Our fishing times decrease

But my love of fishing burns within
It burns like a match set aflame
Like a politician shifts the blame
Like reality stars seek acclaim
It is something I cannot release

And so I cling to this last vestige of my heritage
I cling like barnacles cling to a ship
Like rock climbers cling to a grip
Like skinny jeans cling to the hip
And like dog hair clings to that polar fleece

The water provides something solid that land never can
And so, I cling