Ramblings 3 Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

I will construct
a floating device
a la Huckleberry Finn,
with all feasible
comforts for you,
put a bit made of
rusty chain into
my mouth
to keep things chaste
and above water
and tow you down
toward freedom,
while frequently
stopping,
and, with bit left in place
and distance of 2.88 meters
maintained,
point out all landscape
highlights.
When the villain
named Raeuber Henning,
who lived on top of the
Heldrastein cliff
and terrorised
the region,
he absconded a maiden
took her into the cave with him, .....
and any would be rescuers
were hurled down
from the cliff
to certain death
1000 meters below,
I will refrain from
mentioning that he kept her
for anything but her
cooking skills and possibly
to have his cave dusted
and kept tidy.

Then, after looking
at your loveliness,
inevitable while towing you
downriver, as soon as the
recognition of certain
infatuatory feelings takes
place, the float will be
turned around and
I will proceed UP-river.
That
will keep things under control
mainly due to the extra effort required.

When we reach
an intermediate destination,
reaching into my pack to retrieve
the good book and reading to you
from it will be the logical thing to do.
Happy now?

Remember, you will always
be safe with me,
even in deeper waters,
and -come to think of it- not
that I am dear Abby,
but I will have at least one
complete ear
for you, so let it be heard
on both banks of
the river
which reminds of
Babylon,
I am always home
for you.