Fishing Poems. De clickin' ob de reel [19th century anon]

For me this poem captures what it is all about and it seems rapping has been around longer than I thought.

I's heard de bullfrog bellow,
De fatty 'possum squeal;
But dat's no music like unto
De clickin' ob de reel.

I's heard de locus' singin' ,
De killdea's noisy peal;
But dat don't wake de heart up
Like de clickin' ob de reel.

I's heard de farm bell ringin' ,
De call fer fiel' han's meal;
But dat don't hab no 'traction
Like de clickin ' ob de reel.

I's heard de foxhoun' barkin' ,
He's scent de rabbit's heel;
But dat's a mighty dullness
'Gin de clickin' ob de reel.

I's yer eber bin a-boatin'
In de ship widout de keel.
En seen de rod a-bendin'
To de clickin' ob de reel?

De trow dey call de 'castin'',
En when de 'strike' ye's feel,
De line she go a-sizzin'
To de clickin' ob de reel.

Yer begin to wind 'er in den
Wid all yer manly zeal
Fer ye's like to cotch'd er bass sah,
Wid de clickin ob de reel.

From ebery nook en connor
natur's mel'dies roun' me steal,
But nun ob dem am in it
Wid de clickin ob de reel.

A great find! I read it in a Jamaican/Caribbean accent. What nationality was the poet?

daji said:

A great find! I read it in a Jamaican/Caribbean accent. What nationality was the poet?

Click to expand...

Unfortunately it is not known but for me it captures part of why I go fishing. found it in a book called the Magic Wheel an anthology of Fishing Literature.

God grant that I may live to fish
Until my dying day;
And when it comes to my last cast
I then most humbly pray,
When in the lords safe landing net
I,m peacefully asleep,
That in his mercy I be judged
As good enough to keep
[H. Burman]