Classic Poem

I.

A BIRR ! a whirr! a salmon's on,
 A goodly fish! a thumper!
Bring up, bring up the ready gaff,
And if we land him we shall quaff
 Another glorious bumper!
 Hark! 'tis the music of the reel,
  The strong, the quick, the steady;
 The line darts from the active wheel,
  Have all things right and ready.

II.

A birr! a whirr! the salmon's out,
 Far on the rushing river;
Onward he holds with sudden leap,
Or plunges through the whirlpool deep,
 A desperate endeavour!
 Hark to the music of the reel!
  The fitful and the grating;
 It pants along the breathless wheel,
  Now hurried—now abating

III.

A birr! a whirr! the salmon's off!—
 No, no, we still have got him;
The wily fish is sullen grown,
And, like a bright imbedded stone,
 Lies gleaming at the bottom.
 Hark to the music of the reel!
  'Tis hushed, it hath forsaken;
 With care we'll guard the magic wheel,
  Until its notes rewaken.

IV.

A birr! a whirr! the salmon's up,
 Give line, give line and measure;
But now he turns! keep down ahead,
And lead him as a child is led,
 And land him at your leisure.
 Hark to the music of the reel!
  'Tis welcome, it is glorious;
 It wanders through the winding wheel,
  Returning and victorious

V.

A birr! a whirr! the salmon's in,
 Upon the bank extended;
The princely fish is gasping slow,
His brilliant colours come and go,
 All beautifully blended
 Hark to the music of the reel!
  It murmurs and it closes;
 Silence is on the conquering wheel,
  Its wearied line reposes.

VI.

No birr! no whirr! the salmon's ours,
 The noble fish—the thumper:
Strike through his gill the ready gaff,
And bending homewards, we shall quaff
 Another glorious bumper!
 Hark to the music of the reel!
  We listen with devotion;
 There's something in that circling wheel
  That wakes the heart's emotion!