2015 In this poem the poet writes about men fi shing on the river Shannon. Today
T ey’re fi shing the river in Limerick today, bright green-waded men against the sway and the push and pull of the water’s weight, the tide’s swirl and the foam’s frothy spray. T ere’s the swish of the line’s cast, the swoop – mad delight in the line’s expectant alight, and the silent cry as the sound gets caught in the wind’s whirl and the seagull’s fl ight. Clouds bustle, bunch and swiſt ly separate, white tissues on a blue expanse of sky. T ey fl utter and turn, commanded by the wind’s wild motion and the river’s roll. And the green-clothed men continue to bait until the reel and a silver splash sends them home.
Vivienne McKechnie
Questions for discussion:
1. The poet tells us that the men are fi shing ‘in Limerick today’. Does the detail about the time and place help to make the poem more realistic and bring it to life?
2. The men are described as ‘green-waded’. Do you know what waders are? If not, look up the word in a dictionary or online.
