LLOYD MONTGOMERY fished as a way of life as a commercial fisherman for dungeness crab and wild salmon in the waters of Washington State and Alaska for 47, going on 48, years. He has been involved in herring seining, wild salmon seining, setnetting & drift gillnetting out of Cordova Alaska. He crewed in 1994 for 10 days during the peak of reds on a drift boat in Bristol Bay, and also herring seined out of Togiak. He presently lives in Wasilla, Alaska. He was hired this past year by the Chugach Alaska Native Corporation to work the Gulf of Mexico as an oil spill advisor, and for the first time in his life he took seven weeks off from his fishing career to do so.
AUDIO
WRITINGS
Journey
This journey has been made generation after generation, how can I go wrong? It’s in my DNA right?
Here I lay in this sack on my back
There’s no rhythm or reason, why I’m here,
At the same time, I’m in season,
Ma and Pa no where in sight,
I’m scared out of my life,
I’m left alone on my own every day, is a stage of change, my eye’s begin to see with in this realm,
I’m cuddle in this spot with bro and sis too many to count about ready to sprout with silt comes the milt,
We have no choice make no mistake our life is at stake,
Here we sit under the ice it’s not nice,
In winter all we do is shiver soon it will pass and we will be on our way at last.
We looked at each other, where’s ma and pa?
So with no answer, One by One we begin this trip of life
Will be clean out of sight from here
It’s not for us to know where to go –
This trip has been made time and time again It’s my turn and hope to return,
So what lies ahead we may dread the great vast ocean all we know is only the witty and strong will make this trip,
We have no sense of where to go
It’s in OUR DNA is all I know, so we go with the flow,
My changes to no surprise an egg sack, layin on my back to parr which I missed no stroke, then to smolt
It’s my choice to keep a float in this great vast sea, there’s no guarantee!
Now as adults only the wit and strong with no rhyme or reason we head home,
Right or wrong were coming on strong we all came from the same school.
We are all in this race setting the same pace, we find our way it’s in our DNA!
With enemies ahead to chew off our head the closer we get the stronger we swim we all want to win!
The wait is over, some are caught, some are not, we accept might be to feed many and that’s a reward, it’s in our DNA!
Those at home up the stream meet their dream, only the whit and strong survive at home with birds and bears at our head is to be met,
These we respect – It’s in their DNA!
You are blinded by your own greed you can’t see my needs but by your greed, so please give me my space.
Man who knows right from wrong comes along with no respect, everything is in its place yet you come along and ruin my place!
If I could I would slap you in your face. I don’t come to your home and ruin your place so please keep your space and let me have my space to raise my race.
We will both get along as long as we sing the same song.
Our life is to feed many of those in need, the tables are set, if this is not met, you’ll regret,
Where’s Ma and Pa after our return home?
WE know the answer is our DNA!!
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Labor of Love
Not far from the sea of life,
Made by my wife day by day stitch by stitch
She took the time out of the day to make my day!
Would love someday to live by the sea
Will take the next best thing
She knew how much it meant to me to live by the sea
Lot of time by the sewing machine to make ones dream
Look at the work it took – don’t be mistook by its look
When cover up by the salmon, whales, sea otters, glaciers, halibut, streams and boats of all sorts
It’s the next best thing living by the sea as I close my eyes –
I know I’ covered by love in a labor of love by my wife living by the sea!
April 15, 2010 – 33 years of matrimony