Fish In A Barrel
by Mathurin Kerbusso
(There is a Preamble to this poem, if you are interested)
The fishers of Three Rivers know their trade;
With nets of steel and cunning 'wait the streams
Of Shire-reavers with long-ships and dreams
Of easy plunder, blood-lust quenched with blade.
With naught but thoughts of conquest were keels laid,
With purposes of piracy the beams
Were wrought and fitted, and each boatwright deems
Good use of skill to speed the Shire-Wolves' raid.
But Baron's fisherfolk are friends with Time,
And chum the waters with rumors of grain.
Knowing Shire-wolves' history of crime,
And Shire-reavers love ill-gotten gain,
They wait, with gaffs and harpoons all a-prime,
And bait the hook with Shire-salmon's bane.