Steamboat Is A-Comin'

"Steamboat is a-comin' 'round the bend!" My! Oh my! The wonders it might portend, As it stopped by sleepy towns along the Missisip', Dodgin' stumps and wayward rafts on its monthly New Awlins trip! Its arrival was heralded by the town drunk who had nothin' else to do, And the denizens who didn't flock to the wharf were very, very few! The steamboat 'General Custer' was indeed a spectacular sight, With fancy-topped stacks and palatial pilot house painted red and white! The pilot rang the big brass bell, then folks began a frenzied rush. The first mate let fly some dirty words - 'twould make a teamster blush! He had ten minutes to lade his cargo and didn't suffer fools gladly. Passengers scrambled on and off the boat fightin' each other madly! There was a colorful parade of characters disembarkin' from the boat: There came a preacher man clutchin' his Bible wearin' a black frock coat; A soiled dove slithered ashore much to the delight of the local swains; Followed by a shifty-eyed gamblin' dude with intent to swell his gains! Drays, carts, horses and men vied for space to unload their freight, Fightin' and cussin' and the mate hollerin', "Hustle! Hustle! It's a-gittin' late!" The pilot rang the big brass bell and the steamboat was on its way agin'. Til next boat, the drunkard is on the skids agin' guzzlin' his jug o' gin! Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired (c) 2015 All Rights Reserved