“Unity”: A Fisherpoet’s View of the Columbia

Unity
By Dave Densmore

As I looked out across our quiet, sparkling river
I remembered the sound of engines in the past,
And the sight of the water born lights twinkling,
Signs of a profession we thought would forever last.

Columbia…river of light and sound, teeming with life,
As harvesters rendezvoused with fish,
So those not so fortunate to harvest their own,
Could still have this beautiful bounty on their dish.

These men continue to do the work they love,
Although there are so many trying to shut them down.
Doesn’t it seem counterproductive to eliminate
The strongest advocates the river has ever found.

We’ve been divided, and almost conquered,
By industry’s self interested hype.
Forgetting we’re all on the same page,
No matter the reason, or fishing gear type.

But now we’ve all stood united,
Sports, Commercial fishermen, and guides,
Protecting something precious we all love,
Refusing the wool pulled over our eyes.

We’re holding off LNG and wet land dredging,
Showing the impact of a united voice,
Joining hands and making a difference,
Refusing to surrender our right of choice.

Ahh, wouldn’t it be great to continue
To show this vigilant united might?
We CAN, because sport AND commercial
Are actually BOTH on the side of right.

We’re all striving for a clean healthy river,
And strong plentiful runs of fish,
We ALL want the same damn thing!
So what could be more right than this?

I say to all, we are not each others enemy,
And common sense must prevail.
Or we could still all end up losers,
The struggles and fighting…to no avail.

Whither fisherman, boater, or simply
Someone who loves the river, for beauty’s sake,
Let’s quit fighting each other, unite and STOP,
Those who just come here to take.

This river and strong fish runs, our heritage,
To harvest however we each may choose.
But we must stand strong…TOGETHER,
There is far too much to lose.

We are all the people of the river,
Responsible for her continued recovery and health,
With clean water and plentiful fish runs,
THAT is our true heritage, our great Northwest wealth.

Dave Densmore is a self-proclaimed “Fisherpoet”, conservationist and wild salmon advocate. A lifelong commercial fisherman, he has developed a profound and intimate connection with his quarry, and with the oceans and rivers in which they live. 
Densmore lives in Astoria, Oregon, but he spends his summers fishing off the coast of Kodiak Island in Larsen Bay, Alaska.

To read more of Densmore’s work, or to purchase a collection of his poems, visit his website.