Remember Waterloo

Ladies and gentlemen, laddies, lassies one and all Water, water everywhere, be careful lest you fall. Please take into account, we've found wet boards do shrink and remind your children, this water's not to drink. WHY, ye visitors to Snow Cave lake, WHY for my job, you, your wat’ry fears forsake? Tell me, fellow-creatures of geologic science WHY in my presence, WHY try my patience? Let's imagine we travel the shores of Gumee Gitchie and pretend we're Wiahatha and Minnehehe But alas! upon our banks, there is no naked maid. Stay on the path, light-footed, if our lights should fade Mine's to be the master spirit, your's to be the slave, don't sleep Mine's to shape yourself obedient to the fuzzy words I speak Flame and flood and stars and mountains from these primal waters seep. Walking this path day in, day out, makes this young man weak. All day I hear the noise of waters - above, below. All day, all night, I hear them flowing to and fro. Are there any otter questions, are there any? My hearing's shot, but answers I have plenty. How old is Snow Storm Cave you may be wondering? As old, I would guess, as lightening, thundering. Where are the Snow Storms? If you see one let us know, after guiding for two summers now, I think it's melted snow. And now we cross the Jordan or is it the Red Sea? On into Snow Storm Gift Shop where your money can flow free. Please come back to visit us, whenever you've less to do Watch your step, guard your purse, remember Waterloo. January 13, 2020 A Guide's Speech, easily adaptable to larger groups, longer tours by adding more poetry selections on the subject of water in general although other subjects would likely work as well for the essentially deaf. With apologies to: Samuel Coleridge - Rime of the Ancient Mariner Robert Burns - On Scaring some Water-Fowl in Lock Turit Alexander Pushkin - The Water Nymph H. W. Longfellow - Song of Hiawatha George William Russell - The Voice of the Waters James Joyce - All Day I Hear the Noise of Waters