Boy Fishing
He sits in a bright
morning of bush
and sea
the water is green
(5) and deep
beneath him
the legs of the jetty
slide
slish, slish, slish
(10) against the strange
sigh and salt
of the tide.
The wind waits
Behind an island
(15) the eye of his pipi
sways
beneath a wave
his summer of rock-pools
shellfish
(20) and curious pieces
of glass is scattered
across the bay.
He holds his breath -
"something is taking
(25) the bait," he says
tightening the line
taking the strain
standing
and raising his small rod
(30) sharply
He's probably caught
a stone
a piece of driftwood
passing by
(35) a canvas shoe
filled with sand
a tangled shadow
of seaweed
He sees launches
(40) rocking
at the wharf
tourists stepping on board
for the Cream Trip
his father's friends
(45) pulling dinghies
from safe harbours
of dry sand.
His back bends
He holds the purr
(50) of his plastic reel
the flash
of his varnished rod
the lively dance
of his nylon line
(55) in the braided weight
of the sea.
He is a boy
in a bright green
morning
(60) a man
in his shiny day.
Read the poem shown above and answer the questions that follow:
a) Identify the specific language feature used in 'the wind waits behind an island' (Line 13-14) (A)
b) Identify what the boy is using for bait. (A)
c) In the italicised lines (31-38), someone else is watching the boy fishing. Explain, in your own words, what that person is thinking. (A/M/E)
d) Explain what is suggested by repeating the word 'slish' in line 9. (A/M/E)
ANSWERS
(NCEA Level 1 English revision guide. 2007 edition, Really Useful Resources, pg. 37)
morning of bush
and sea
the water is green
(5) and deep
beneath him
the legs of the jetty
slide
slish, slish, slish
(10) against the strange
sigh and salt
of the tide.
The wind waits
Behind an island
(15) the eye of his pipi
sways
beneath a wave
his summer of rock-pools
shellfish
(20) and curious pieces
of glass is scattered
across the bay.
He holds his breath -
"something is taking
(25) the bait," he says
tightening the line
taking the strain
standing
and raising his small rod
(30) sharply
He's probably caught
a stone
a piece of driftwood
passing by
(35) a canvas shoe
filled with sand
a tangled shadow
of seaweed
He sees launches
(40) rocking
at the wharf
tourists stepping on board
for the Cream Trip
his father's friends
(45) pulling dinghies
from safe harbours
of dry sand.
His back bends
He holds the purr
(50) of his plastic reel
the flash
of his varnished rod
the lively dance
of his nylon line
(55) in the braided weight
of the sea.
He is a boy
in a bright green
morning
(60) a man
in his shiny day.
Read the poem shown above and answer the questions that follow:
a) Identify the specific language feature used in 'the wind waits behind an island' (Line 13-14) (A)
b) Identify what the boy is using for bait. (A)
c) In the italicised lines (31-38), someone else is watching the boy fishing. Explain, in your own words, what that person is thinking. (A/M/E)
d) Explain what is suggested by repeating the word 'slish' in line 9. (A/M/E)
ANSWERS
(NCEA Level 1 English revision guide. 2007 edition, Really Useful Resources, pg. 37)