HORNY HEAD

BY: BARNEY SHEPHERD

WHILE SITTING HERE A THINKIN’
            ABOUT THE THINGS THAT I HAVE DONE.
THE ONE THAT TOPPED THE WHOLE LONG LIST
            AND GAVE ME THE UTMOST FUN.
WAS SITTIN’ ON THAT OLD CREEK BANK
            WITH HOOK, AND LINE, AND LEAD.
JUST WAITING FOR THE CHANCE TO CATCH
            THAT BIG OLE HORNY HEAD!

I’VE DONE A LOT OF FISHING
            IN POND, AND LAKE, AND STREAM,
AND CAUGHT MOST EVERY KIND OF FISH
            THAT YOU CAN THINK OR DREAM.
BUT, SON I’M HERE TO TELL YOU,
            IT AIN’T NOTHING THAT I READ.
THE FIGHTINGEST FISH, SCALE FOR SCALE,
            IS A BIG OLE HORNY HEAD.

NOW YOU DON’T USE NO FANCY GEAR
            LIKE A FISHING ROD AND REEL.
YOU CUT A LIMBER, KEEN, BIRCH POLE
            FOR THE PROPER TOUCH AND FEEL.
YOU SLAP A WORM IN YOUR HAND PALM
            ‘TIL IT IS STONE COLD DEAD.
THREAD IT ON A LONG SHANKED HOOK
            TO FISH FOR HORNY HEAD.

YOU HEAR THE BIRDS A SINGING
            AND THE RIPPING WATER SOUNDS.
EVERY NERVE IS TIGHT ON EDGE
            AND YOU HEART JUST POUNDS AND POUNDS,
THEN ALL AT ONCE THAT SUCKER HITS,
            ‘TIS LIKE THE MAN ONCE SAID
FEASTING TIME IS HERE AGAIN
            WITH THAT BIG OLE HORNY HEAD!

AS I SAID IN THE BEGINNING
            I’VE FISHED MOST ALL GOOD STREAMS,
AND NOW I SOMETIMES WONDER
            IF IT WAS ONLY IN MY DREAMS.
I’VE NEVER SEEN ‘EM NOWHERE ELSE,
            ‘CEPT ROUND THE OLD HOMESTEAD.
IF I WENT BACK AND FISHED AGAIN,
            COULD I CATCH A HORNY HEAD?

I GUESS THAT BIG OLE HORNY HEAD
            IS BEST, LEFT BACK IN TIME.
WITH ALL THE OTHER MEMORIES
            THAT AIN’T WORTH ONE THIN DIME
EXCEPT, TO A BOY, WITH A FISHING POLE,
            AND HOOK, AND LINE, AND LEAD,
THAT WILL FADE INTO THE YESTERYEARS