Steamboats on the Mississippi
Oh to experience the thrill of steamboats,
on the mighty Mississippi..
They came one by one chugging down the river –
each one grander than the next..
The first one was the New Orleans,
designed by Robert Fulton..
She was a large and heavy side-wheeler –
ready for her first trip upon the Mississippi.
Then came a smaller steamer,
known as the Comet –
which sported a stern paddle wheel.
The third that promenaded down the river,
was the Vesuvius and was like the sister ship,
to the New Orleans.
Along came the Enterprise with a single stern paddle wheel.
She was well suited to the river
and could withstand the mighty currents –
of the Mississippi and the Ohio rivers.
Finally came the Washington,
launched in 1816.
She was a grand steamboat,
with two decks – the upper for passengers and the lower for the boiler.
She was powerful and mighty
and could chug from New Orleans to Louisville in just 25 days.
Oh it was a sight to behold in the 1810s –
with 20 boats on the Mississippi.
By the 1830s it was up to 1200 hulls
and pretty soon steamboat commerce came to be.
The Romance of the Mighty Mississippi
Many a time I’ve longed to see –
the mighty Mississippi,
Rolling along past cotton fields,
heading on down toward the Gulf of Mexico.
Mississippi on my mind,
of the days long gone.
Of steamboats and showboats –
chugging down the river..
Ladies in long gowns,
with parasols held over their heads.
Gentlemen in top hats –
the wind whistling by.
Mississippi the river in my dreams,
flowing along –
with ships
heading down to Louisiana.
Mighty Mississippi you conjure up,
dreams of boys like Tom and Huck
and even Samuel –
at the wheel of a paddle boat.
To have been on the Mississippi,
rolling down toward the sea –
before man polluted –
to see the Mississippi as it had once been.
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Lovely imagery, I can just see those steamboats on the river. Wonderful time in history, when they were the center of commerce and grand royalty of the Mississippi. Well done Rasma.
Thank you Tony.
Such enjoyment we find from looking back at the “good ole days” – you’ve done a great job in painting a vivid picture of this period in American history. Most people don’t realize just how grand the Mississippi river is; hopefully they’ll gain some insight by your work.
Thank you R.J.
Oh! The mighty Mississippi! How mighty and glorious she is and the steamboats were grand, for sure. This makes me think of Mark Twain, one of my favorite authors. Such a wonderful tribute you pay to the era of steamboats on the Mississippi, Rasma. Great work, dear poet.
Thank you Phyllis.
Rasma, thank you for sharing this piece of riverboat history in this poem about the Mighty Mississippi. Great job.
Thank you John.