Kay Ryan is one of my very favorite poets. And Mary Lee Hahn is one of my favorite bloggers, teachers, and poetry appreciators in the world. And she has recently retired from teaching, though I doubt she will ever stop being an educator.
I know Mary Lee is looking forward to getting some fly fishing in, but I am sure that she will always have poetry to fall back upon when fishing fails.
"Your husband is very lucky," observed Smithers,
"to have ornithology to fall back upon when fishing fails."
— Cyril Hare, Death Is No Sportsman
When fishing fails, when no bait avails,
and nothing speaks in liquid hints
of where the fishes went for weeks,
and dimpled ponds and silver creeks
go flat and tarnish, it's nice if
you can finish up your sandwich,
pack your thermos, and ford
this small hiatus towards
a second mild and absorbing purpose.
Enjoy your next phase of life, ML!