Thursday, October 08, 2026

1929 - The Devil Fish

 

Image by ChatGPT

 The Sunday Whirl presented these twelve words for us to use in a creative writing piece. 

show backbone beings believe bit storm stream ring scratch tempting devil hunch




The Devil Fish


The storm was coming.

It showed in the slate grey clouds

Building on the horizon.

But he believed

That it was the best time to fish.

Besides, he had promised 

To bring home some dinner.

So he was tempted

To fish, just a bit longer…

Sensible beings were already ashore

But he had a theory, more a hunch,

That the fishing is best in a storm.

All he needed was the backbone to hold firm.

He let the line stream out

For just one last try.

Nothing.

No nibbles.

Not even a pull, a scratch on the line.

Just rain.

Torrential.

Drenching.

Rain.


◊


Back in the pub,

With a ring of enthralled mates,

He told his tale of derringdo,

Of his fight with the Devil Fish,

The one that got away.

“It was this big”, he said,

Holding up his hands,

“Between the eyes”, he added.


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11 comments:

  1. “The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.” — Proverbs 14:15 (KJV)

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  2. Why are the biggest fish stories about the one that got away? The storm was his real battle.

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  3. Your devil fish poem has a great shape! I love setting in the opening lines, building up to a great story of the one that got away.

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  4. Oh - the downpour falls so heavy - Jae

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  5. A tall tale to make up for his shortcoming. Love it.

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  6. Ha. Your surprise ending makes the poem. But then, you knew that!

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  7. What a great tale and I have heard a lot of those from the fishermen...

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  8. I love the volta in your poem. And just the whole atmosphere, how there's the set-up that something big might happen and the man might be in danger but in the end nothing happens and he's perfectly safe. So then he has to make up an adventure because the truth of the event is so not worth telling 😅

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  9. Reminds me of 'you can tell an honest fisherman by one who’s lost an arm'. Fun story Cosmo 👏

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