#5: Mississippi from Greyhound Window

Louisiana-Bound! (2008) Part 5 of 40: Mississippi from the Greyhound Window Shortly after leaving Memphis, Tennessee, we were in the State of Mississippi. It is just one of 31 states that the Mississippi River touches in major or minor ways. The Louisiana Purchase opened the Mississippi River for commerce. The river rises in Minnesota, and flows south following the boundaries between the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana on the west, and Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi on the east. No wonder it is called the Mighty Mississippi. In the Algonquian language the river name means "father of waters." I was thinking about the songs "Proud Mary" and "Boll Weevil" which I sang growing up and the movie "Mississippi Burning" which came out much later than the 1964 incident. The Trial was called MIBURN, short for Mississippi Burning. And here is the poem or song that slowly got scratched onto paper as the bus rolled along. It is about the river and the state of Mississippi. Think of the Mississippi River owning the State of Mississippi and the writer to the river. Roll on Mighty Mississippi River Roll on Mississippi River Roll on Mississippi Queen Roll on south along the states borders Through your lands serene. You can see Mississippi turning green In this springtime is its justice clean Or does the burning that once was seen Still exist hidden in your land serene. You can see your beasts out in the field Shaded and resting under magnolia trees Beautiful herds of grazing cattle One such blessing your land received. I recall a time Mississippi was burning When black justice was not received When the price of color was ridicule And the only safety was to leave. I cross your land going southbound The Greyhound stops in your towns Some of your homes renovations lack I know oppression has set Mississippi back. Roll on Mississippi River Roll on Mississippi Queen Roll on south along the states' borders Roll on through your lands serene. Your wooded forests, your water of life I hope they abound with animal life So men can raise healthy families And teach their sons about living free. I see human hands are rough from toil Your planted lands get meager yield Your worn out tools broke many backs And Klu Klux Klan burned your fields. Your cotton crops were high standard Until the turn of the twentieth century The boll weevil from Mexico arrived And most cotton crops did not survive. Oh Mississippi River, you mighty giant You're often pleasant, but at times defiant When your rivers begin to overflow Your Mississippians face your woes. Roll on Mississippi River Roll on Mississippi Queen Roll on south along the states/ borders Through your lands serene. Written by Harvey A. Bond April 16, 2008 Well, I have to work that poetic prose more. And I will, later. Our direction through Mississippi is almost totally south. Granada is about one third into the state. I hear there is great fishing in Granada. A bus rider who shared a seat with me told me that. We passed a few towns on route 55 and came to Jackson, Mississippi, two thirds through lower western part of the state. I think it is the same Jackson that Johnny Cash and June Carter had a hit song about. And me, oh yeah, I sang that song a lot. Some of the lyrics were, "We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout. I been thinking about Jackson even since fire went out." So after Jackson and straight south, was the Louisiana border. Although terminology used in the 1850's wasn't very uplifting, maybe the opening of "The Institute for the Deaf and Dumb" in Jackson started the ball rolling to provide services for the deaf. Although in 1854 it seems many such institutions were opened across America. And to end with a baseball note and a sad note, the same year that Babe Ruth hit his famous 60 homeruns, 1927, the great Mississippi Delta floods occurred. And now, our trip is reaching into the finals stages, but not without a little excitement on the bus. Written by Harvey A. Bond May 4, 2008

 

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