where patterson creek s muddy waters run down past the penny arcades by the harbour downtown all the old turtlebacks rust in the rain like they never will leave there again but leave there they will in the hours before dawn slip out in the darkness without word or song for a few more years yet they will work while they can to catch tiny fish for japan no white fish or trout here we leave them alone the inspectors raise hell if we take any home what kind of fisherman can t eat his catch or call what he s taken his own but the plant works three shifts now there s plenty of pay we ship seventeen tons of this garbage each day if we want to eat fish then we ll open a can and catch tiny fish for japan in the norfolk hotel over far too much beer the old guys remember when the water ran clear no poisons with names that we can t understand and no tiny fish for japan so the days run together each one is the same and it s good that the smelt have no lovelier name it s all just a job now we ll work while we can to catch tiny fish for japan and we ll catch tiny fish for japan