Shipping on the Mississippi

Ships all around,

all shapes and sizes,

Boats and vessels,

big and small,

Hover-crafts

and hydrofoils,

Helicopters

and humming sun-planes,

Air-borne kites

and outboard motors,

Paddle-boats

and pinnaces,

Keelboats, carracks,

and cargo-tugs,

Punts for lone pilots,

and ponderous carriers.

A thicket of thole-deer

thronged the way-swift;

Countless craft

crowded the currents,

From the least of punts

to the largest of liners,

From sleek small sailboats

to slow solemn sun-ships,

Packed and piled,

prow to port-hole,

Stem to stern,

steer-board to broadside,

As one craft moving,

the wide waves seeking,

Line upon line,

for the lord of the rivers,

Down the pike-road

to the Dawn lit Tide,

On the swift steed’s back

toward Sunrise Sea.