In the bloom of youth
Zanny Wright and I went to the coast
With his father’s boat, our fishing gear
And not a care we headed out

Known to only a few
It was called Cedar Bayou
A secluded spot in an untainted paradise
A natural “cut” through the island

We beached the boat and made camp
A throw-net provided shrimp
Some we ate
Some we used to catch the silvery
Trout that moved in schools through the “cut”

A constant breeze came from the Gulf
Keeping us from sweltering in the
Hot south Texas summer
The sun glinted and shimmered
On the cool clear green water
We waded and fished
In the gentle but persistent pull of the current
exulting in the sheer joy
of being alive in such a place

Never had a cigarette tasted so good
Never had food tasted so good
The sandy grit went unnoticed
In the fried potatoes and fresh caught trout
Cooked over an open fire

Cedar Bayou lasted but a few days
But the memory of it still lingers
As my mind drifts back
to that carefree time when
Zanny Wright and I went to the coast
In the bloom of youth