CAST MY LINE

TWO HOURS AT A TIME!

BUT ALAS! THAT BLASTED BASS

WAS ALL I PULLED UP FROM THE BRINE!

THEY MOVED IN FAST

DESCENDING LIKE A STORM!

‘TILL EVERY BLOOMIN’ BAY WAS

BLIGHTED BY THE SWARM!

SEA BASS, FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE!

WORSE TO CATCH THAN A COLD OR FLEA!

SO LET’S BREAK LOOSE THE VACATION JUICE-

“ANOTHER ROUND ON ME!”

FROM SEA TO HOOK TO ME TO NOOK-

HALF A BAG OF BELLS FOR SEA BASS!

THEY’RE BAD!

THEY’RE WORSE!

A SOGGY CURSE

ALL ACROSS THE SEVEN SEAS!

EVERY BASS I CAUGHT

WAS THE LAST, I THOUGHT

BUT THE FISH OF MY WISHES

WAS NAUTICALLY NAUGHT!

THIS SEA BASS HERE IS ALL I’VE GOT

BUT AT LEAST IT’S A C+!

THE SHARKS TURNED TAIL!

THE KNIFEJAW BIT THE DUST!

EVEN THE SNAPPER’S DOWN THE CRAPPER

AND THE DAB’S BECOME A BUST!

I SOLD THREEFOLD

OF SEA BASS AT THE STORE

JUST TO RETURN TO SEA AND FISH OUT

FIFTY-THREE MORE!

SALTY SCOURGE OF THE OPEN SEA!

FILL YOUR POCKETS WITH MISERY!

SO DOWN A SLUICE OF VACATION JUICE-

“IT’S ALCOHOLIC-FREE!”

FROM SEA TO HOOK TO ME TO NOOK-

HALF A BAG OF BELLS FOR SEA BASS!

THEY’RE WET!

AND WEIRD…

THEY’RE IN ME BEARD!

AND THEY’VE SEIZED THE SEVEN SEAS!

NOT A SMIDGE OF FISH

THAT I’D HAD IN MIND;

ONLY BASS I’D RATHER HAVE

LEFT BEHIND

WORTH SIXTY-SOMETHING BELLS COMBINED

BUT AT LEAST THEY’RE A C+!

THEY ATE MY BAIT

AND BROKE MY GOLDEN POLE!

I WOULD MAKE THEM WALK THE PLANK

BUT THEN THEY’D JUST REJOIN THE SHOAL!

THOSE PISCINE PESTS

HAVE FLOODED EVERY SHORE!

WITH EVERY WRETCH I CATCH, I RETCH

A LITTLE BIT MORE!

TEN FOR YOU AND A TON FOR ME!

MARITIME TERROR IS ALL THEY BE!

SO RAISE A GLASS TO THAT CURSE’D BASS-

IT’S TIME TO CHANGE THE KEY!

AHHHH!

FROM SEA TO HOOK TO ME TO NOOK-

HALF A BAG OF BELLS FOR SEA BASS!

THEY BITE!

THEY SMELL!

WE DO, AS WELL-

AND THEY PLAGUE THE SEVEN SEAS!

THEY’RE GROTESQUE, DESPICABLE

AND ABHORRED

BUT THEY’RE ALL I’VE GOT

AND I CAN’T AFFORD

TO TOSS THE LOT OF ‘EM OVERBOARD

BUT AT LEAST… THEY’RE A… C+!

BUT AT LEAST IT’S A C+!