Hundreds of minnows have congregated
in chest-deep water,
churning themselves into a knot.
A galaxy of twisting flesh in cloudy water
like it could be lifted
dripping and alive
by your late-summer grasp-
a body of slick, silver grey.
I imagine you back-lit
by the soft sounds of the river,
a sigh in wet white,
holding up that galaxy,
water lapping at your waist.
In an instant the tangle flexes,
untangles,
and is gone
Matt Smythe hails from the Finger Lakes region of western New York. An Army veteran and lifelong outdoorsman, Matt suffers from an inability to sit still. If he’s not in the woods, or on the water, he’s scheming ways to get there. His work has appeared in Free Range American, Gray’s Sporting Journal, the Fly Fish Journal, The Drake, Southern Culture on the Fly, Revive, Midcurrent, TROUT Magazine, and a handful of other non-outdoors-related magazines and literary journals. He recently published a book of poetry with Dead Reckoning Collective titled Revision of a Man, where this poem first appeared.
What’s happening at VetRep…
Did you know that VetRep is now producing the annual Cornwall 4th of July Pageant? The pageant has a rich history going back over 50 years and we’re honored to take the reins and tell Cornwall’s story in a way you’ll probably find shorter, faster and funnier. This is the community theater production you’ve all been asking for – local, non-professional actors (and some pretty familiar faces!), and a script that is equal parts local history, American history and Monty Python, we’ll even have performances from Cornwall’s own Dance Design School! If you’re in the area, come check it out at 6:30pm on July 4th – immediately following the parade and right in front of town hall.
VetRep is thrilled to present seven veteran-authored 10-minute plays each Saturday night during July. Denis Meadows’ poignantly thrilling A Brush Against the Indifference of the Universe, Arianna Rose’s funny Sex, Lies & Syrofoam, Richard Fouts’ madcap comedy Fast-Moving Consumer Goods, Jack Rushton’s provocative George’s Radio, Terry Glaser’s Greek myth-turned-film noir The Big Dark, Donald Ranard’s thoughtful Elbow.Apple.Carpet.Saddle.Bubble, and VetRep Artist-in-Residence Daniel Guyton’s absurdist Service for None. Get your tickets here before they sell out!
We are currently offering multiple dates for our online and in-person Playwriting for Veterans classes, and our Acting for Beginners class is now being offered weekly every Saturday from 10am-12pm. Scholarships for qualifying veterans, as well as multi-class passes are available. Registration details can be found here.