But I seen dem—honest injun I did—

MISSISSIPPI BY ALEXANDER J MOTYL 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 21

Look, I really know

that morning mists

on the Mississippi

have been done to death:

They’re as tired as Huck Finn must’ve been

after paddling downstream with Jim.

But I seen dem—honest injun I did—

from the levee in Donaldsonville

after spending the night at the Victorian B&B,

where Judy asked, “How y’all doin’?”

as she opened the screen door

and gave me the key

to my room on the second floor.

Later that morning I looked again,

but the sun shone brightly

and the mists were all gone—

revealin’ nuttin’,

I reckon, ‘ceptin’

the Mississippi.