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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SHO' NOUGHT STEAMBOATS, by                    
First Line: Dese steamboats on de hudson
Last Line: An' de ohio.


Dese steamboats on de Hudson,
I guess dey's mighty fine,
But dey ain' got no paddle wheel
Awhirlin' roun' behine,
Kickin' up de water
An' chawin' up de foam --
De steamboats on de Hudson
Ain' like de boats down home.

De steamboats on de Hudson --
Lord knows whut make 'em go --
Dey ain' like de steamboats
Dat I uster know,
A-steamin' down Kanawhy
An' de Ohio.

I sho'ly miss de ole boats;
I seem ter see 'em still:
City er Cincinnati,
An' de City er Louisville,
De fine ole Annie Laury --
An' all of dem wuz Queens --
An' de James K. Speed, a-speedin'
Clean down ter New Awleens!

Dem great white steamboats
Wid dey smokestacks high,
Blowin' clouds er smoke out
On de wide blue sky;
Whistlin' in de mornin'
Way down aroun' de ben':
An' lawsy how I'd like ter see
De ole boats once ergain --

De schooners an' de liners,
An' de little tuggin' boats
A-chuggin' through de water
Like a bunch er frisky shoats,
Dey sho'ly goes a-humpin'
But dis I wants ter know:
How come dem boats ain' got no wheels
An' whut makes 'em go?

I wuz fotch up on de ole boats
(No use fer me ter 'splain).
Git out de way an' gimme room!
I gwine home ergain:
I likes de Hudson steamboats
But I jes got ter go
Back to de ole Kanawhy
An' de Ohio.





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