The Headwaters of Hawksbill Creek

The creek, hidden in a low valley high in the Shenandoah Valley,

Is a place of seclusion and ambiance made especially for me.

I watch the hikers clad in t-shirts, shorts, suntan lotion, and sunglasses

Amble up the well-worn trail to the summit of Hawksbill Mountain

While my fishing gear and I bushwhack our way down to the secret spring.

The journey, filled with thorns and pickers not to mention a few slips and falls,

Was well worth any discomfort for both the silence and beauty are immense.

Slowly, I step into the cool, crystalline water and watch it move around my feet.

As I tie a Mr. Rapidan Dry size 16 on the line of my fly rod and adjust my

polarized sunglasses waiting for my eyes to adjust to the shade,

I watch the water and soon spot a Brooke trout calling my name.