river town

there was a day
there was a time
when this was the place to be
a passage down to the sea
the promise of commerce
bustling docks
all that a body could need
would surely pass this way

 meet me by the levee
 we’ll talk of how it should’ve gone down
 in this or any other river town

the boys in banking
planned a grand hotel
corner of broad and main
silk shirts and cold champagne
brothels and the barfly
on the seedier side
river pirates still haunt a boys’ dreams
on those long-ago summer nights

now the passer-by
just the history buff
on a bus from the audubon
the eagles to gaze upon
we struggle with keeping our young
these deep, muddy waters push on
carry the greying and the grain

 meet me by the levee
 talk of how it should’ve gone down
 in this or any other river town