Searching For Lainey Poem by David McLansky

Oh lovely girl
Oh distant daughter
I’ll sail to you
On inland waters.
On rivers deep with rocks and curves
My sail is swollen with your words;

I’ll mount the river without crew,
How heavy is the portage too,
Oh Princess of the wilderness,
Why can’t you live in Inverness?
I’ll sail the Great Lakes to the Missouri,
Then ride the Snake in all its fury;
By then I fear that I’ll get lost,
Who knew Montana had such frosts?
I’ll get so lonely I’ll talk to cattle,
I’m up a river without a paddle,
I’ll wander wide and in frenzy
And end up on the wild Mackenzie.
I would not be in such a mess
Had you lived in Inverness! !