Herring/Alewives

The Way is Water

wavy
in sweet shallow water
river herring mass in schools
my shadow makes them
wary,
perhaps it’s worries of herring gull
beaks dipping, bobbing in 
the bubbling brook
water
snatching silver fish bent on
heeding an ancient call, the pull
to swim, braving rocky upstream
whitewater
to leap, silver, bony, iridescent 
travelers of sea and streams to natal pools,
swimmers lead on by scents of home



The dorsal-finned fish locally referred to as alewife or herring were a dietary staple for local people in the 17th and 18th centuries. The fish were prized so much that the town of Pembroke, Massachusetts where this herring run is located began regulating their taking in 1741. Now, they are mostly consumed by sea gulls, seals, whales and other fish. Native Americans are the only locals allowed to fish them.

Herrin' up, Herrin' down


     Herrin’ all about the town.


Anadromous fishes migrate from the sea up (Greek: ἀνά 'ana', up and δρόμος 'dromos', course) into fresh water to spawn, or stay entirely in sea water and migrate upstream to spawn.

Swimmers


More Alewife info

A painterly extra  photo added too.


For the Record,
This day came in cool and damp with early morning clouds giving way to rain.

All hands healing, even T

My heart breaks for the destruction and death in Nepal.




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