Thomas Cooper Gotch, English
Tonight on Bravo: “The Real Fishwives of New Brunswick,” 1891
Watercolor
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MASTERPIECE #679
Info, or links that point to more info, about this artist can be found here, here (archived if necessary), here, here (archived if necessary), here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here, perhaps in addition to what’s in his Wikipedia page.
/// Newlyn women are shown Sharing Fish.
It’s as fair as a person could wish.
First they pooled all they’d caught
then a stranger was brought
in to sort equal shares for each dish.
/// How much fish is caught comes down to luck.
Some days, try as they might, some are stuck.
But this system makes sure
the “rich” share with the “poor,”
and the smell’s all that’s fishy here. Yuck!
/// They had learned the best way to provide
for each family was fairly divide
what they had— not compete.
This way all mouths can eat.
Was it socialist? You can decide.
/// Now, the only way this could have worked,
is if all tried their best and none shirked.
You’re unlucky today?
You’ll get fish, that’s OK.
If you’re lazy… well, then folks get irked.
/// In a village where numbers are small,
this “fish sharing” can benefit all.
Plus, peer pressure attacks
any worker who slacks;
none would want from good graces to fall.
/// Women come to this beach every day
to share fish, for which no one must pay,
but their men also share—
tales of fish, huge and rare,
which were hooked but, alas, got away.
/// Give a woman a fish and she’ll eat
for one night from this rare unearned treat.
But, if fishing you teach
She’ll stand there on the beach
with her catch, thinking, “I prefer meat.”
/// An old fairy tale tells of a fish
which, if caught, grants its catcher a wish
on condition that he
be returned to the sea.
And he was, (as bones scraped off a dish.)