Upon the Mighty Mississippi River We Youths

THROUGH lifeless streams,
no guides to steer,
redmen shriek, bowstrings’ gleam,
lashed to stakes, a gruesome leer.

Flemish wheat or English thread,
amidst the din, my guides play,
rivers lead wherever I tread.

gleeful, I dared the stormy brine,
reckless as children in winter’s mirth,
peninsulas freed, chaos divine,
a triumphant hubbub, untamed and unearthed.

skimming lifeless waterways,
guides absent from my course,
redskins’ shouts, quivers’ blaze,
staked haulers, a brutal force.

crews mere shadows,
Flemish wheat and English cloth,
amidst the uproar, guides aglow,
rivers lead wherever I go.

tides raging, a thrill,
reckless as children’s winter play,
wild peninsulas unleashed, fulfillment shrill,
a hubbub of triumphant disarray.

storms blessed my sea watch,
lighter than cork, I danced on waves’ crest,
eternal rollers of doomed botch,
ten nights, defying lighthouse’s quest.

hard apples’ nectar,
green water on my fir’s lap,
blue wine’s wash, a dull vector,
rudder, grappling hook, and vomit’s trap.

immersed in the Sea’s Poem,
stars and light infused,
azure verses devoured, a dream,
a pensive drowned figure, sight diffused.

blue hue, delirious tinge,
slow rhythm beneath daylight’s streak,
love’s pandemonium, wild binge,
lyres surpassed, red ferment it seeks.

skies burst with lightning’s glow,
waterspouts, surf, and currents flow,
evening and dawn strike, aglow,
exalted, a flock of doves in a row.

mystic horrors, sun’s low sight,
violet clots extend their light,
dramatic actors, an ancient rite,
waves roll off quivering shutters in flight.

nights green, snow’s glare,
slow rising kiss to sea’s gaze,
unknown saps, circulating with care,
yellow-blue awakening, singing phosphorous in blaze.

months heavy, following swells,
reefs assaulted, hysterical cows’ shout,
Mary’s feet aglow, calming hells,
oceans wheeze, arousing belief devout.

Floridas mingle, unbelievable to see,
flowers, panthers’ eyes, and human skin,
rainbows stretched like bridal reins, lively,
under seas’ horizon, greenish herds akin.

swamps enormous, fermenting foul,
fish-traps, where Leviathan decays,
avalanches of water, amidst calm’s scowl,
cataracting distances, abyssal pathways.

glaciers, silver suns, nacreous waves and skies ablaze,
hideous strands, at end of brown gulfs witnessed to amaze,
giant serpents devoured by bedbugs’ fray,
fall down from gnarled trees, black scent in dismay.

showing children sunfish of blue wave,
fish of gold, singing fish, all aglow,
foam of flowers rocking in rave,
ineffable winds winging, aglow.

martyr, tired of poles and zones,
sea’s sob creating a gentle roll,
dark flowers with yellow cones,
like a woman on her knees, remaining whole.

resembling island tossing on my sides,
quarrels and droppings of noisy birds endured,
sailing on, through fragile ropes in strides.

:: 04.19.2023 ::

Poet’s Notes:

The poem depicts a journey through various landscapes and experiences, ranging from peaceful to violent, from beautiful to grotesque. The poet is navigating through lifeless streams, where there are no guides to steer them. He witnesses the brutality of native people being lashed to stakes and the gleam of their bowstrings. The poet then reflects on the joy he experiences in daring the stormy brine and being reckless like children at play. The poem takes a surreal turn as the poet becomes immersed in the sea’s poem, seeing mystical horrors and experiencing love’s pandemonium.

The poem is divided into several stanzas, each focusing on a different aspect of the journey. The language used is rich and vivid, evoking strong sensory images and creating a dream-like atmosphere. The use of repetition, such as the phrase “rivers lead wherever I,” reinforces the sense of the journey’s flow and continuity. The poem also makes use of poetic devices such as alliteration and internal rhyme, adding to the musicality of the text.

Overall, the poem is a reflection on the journey of life and the varied experiences it can bring. The imagery and language used create a sense of both wonder and danger, reminding us that life can be both beautiful and brutal.