Gone Fishing
Original Version
If someone should ask for me,
tell ’em heaven is where I’ll be.
I’ve finished all my life’s chores,
and now I fish on heaven’s shores.
The view is grand and the fishing’s great,
but I yearn for you as I wait.
I’ll save a spot on the river’s bend,
for all those I call family and friend.
But for now, head out to sea
and make a cast in memory,
to all the good times that you had,
with me — your friend, your grandpa, your dad.
And if the fish no longer bite
or seem no longer worth the fight,
because it’s me that you are missin’,
don’t worry, be glad — I’ve only gone fishin’.
— David Ritter
Gone Fishing
Revised Version
If someone should ask for me,
tell ‘em heaven is where I’ll be.
I’ve finished all my life’s chores,
and now I fish on heaven’s shores.
The view is grand and the fishing’s great,
but I yearn for you as I wait.
I’ll save a spot on the river’s bend,
for all those I call family and friend.
But for now, sail out to sea,
and make a cast in memory,
to all the good times from the past,
so the memories will ever last.
And if the fish no longer bite
or seem no longer worth the fight,
because it’s me that you are missin’,
don’t worry, be glad — I’ve only gone fishin’.
— David Ritter
Get Both Printable Versions — $2.99
Download the Original and Revised versions of Gone Fishing in 4×6, 5×7, 8×10, and 8.5×11 JPG sizes. Print them for a memorial display, a framed keepsake, or a gift of remembrance.
Instant digital download • Four JPG sizes per version • 300 DPI • Personal use only
Premium Printable Design — $4.99
Choose the artwork shown below with the Revised version only of Gone Fishing. Your download includes 5×7 and 8×10 print files plus a Word document of the poem.
Instant digital download • Revised version only • 5×7 + 8×10 print files • Word document
More Gone Fishing Products
You’ll also find additional printable designs, framed prints, and a memorial photo frame in my Etsy shop.
More Printable Designs
Each of these Etsy downloads includes both poem versions in 5×7 and 8×10 JPEG sizes.
These two products are digital downloads. No physical print or frame included.
Signed Limited Edition — 16×20 Framed Print
Gone Fishing in a rustic barnwood-style frame, offered as a signed, limited edition keepsake. Only 250 will ever be made.
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View the Limited Edition on Etsy
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11×14 or 11×17 Framed Print
A framed Gone Fishing print for a memorial display or a place of remembrance in your home.
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Shop Framed Prints on Etsy
Available in 11×14 or 11×17 • Free shipping
“`Gone Fishing Memorial Photo Frame
A black wood memorial frame pairing the poem with space for your loved one’s photo. Display a favorite fishing memory vertically or horizontally.
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View the Memorial Photo Frame on Etsy
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More of My Poetry
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