Category: Niagara River Poetry

  • The Niagara Way of Death Presentation

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    Andrew Porteus
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    Tonight (May 18) at 7pm I’ll be doing the online presentation “The Niagara Way of Death: Depictions of Death & Near Death in the Poetry of Niagara Falls” at the Niagara Poetry Guild meeting. Please join us through the link at Meetup  Death is a pervasive topic in the poetry written about Niagara Falls. In…

  • Under the Locust Boughs by Tom Lloyd Finlayson

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    by

    Andrew Porteus
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    To “J.” — written under the locust trees along the banks of the Niagara In a realm of song and shine, Where God’s sweetest wild flowers twine, By Niagara’s singing stream, Last night in a golden dream, Wandered I, while at my side Was a laughing maid, blue-eyed. Spun from the silk of the corn…

  • Rivers of Light by Wayne Ritchie

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    by

    Andrew Porteus
    in ,

      I often look up and into the sky. I’m guessing, Heaven only knows the reason why. WhenI get lonesome as I usually do. I contemplate about the time spent with you.  My youthful years went by far too quick. Looking up into heaven for my uncle Nick. Being my Cub Scout leader teaching me…

  • My First Visit to Niagara Falls by Wayne Ritchie

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    by

    Andrew Porteus
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    The forest is so quiet and I don’t know why. Yes it’s all up to the man in the sky. I’ve heard the water but I never saw it fall. Now I know why humans come for the thrill of it all. The animal kingdom keeps saying the world’s lost its cool. The whole human…

  • A Legend of the Whirlpool by James Fenimore Cooper

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    by

    Andrew Porteus
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    ‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡PART I.   “Ih wakchohenry hah nakahneshthean habthohy ehean hancteayouth wench heahnahreawachereahheank.” — Tuscarora’s idiom of the Iroquois. The same in English from the book of David Cusic, a Tuscaroran  Indian, published in 1827. “I found the history mixed with fables. “ ‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡I. In truth thou art a fearful place, ‡‡‡‡Who shall thy depths explore ? Who’ll pass upon thy fluctuant waves, ‡‡‡‡For mines of golden ore ; From far above impetuously, ‡‡‡‡The raging waters sweep,  They come in their sublimity, ‡‡‡‡Descending, leap o’er leap. ‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡II. In wrath and foam they rush along, ‡‡‡‡Through caverned rocks they flow, And high towards the mirrored skies, ‡‡‡‡The feathery mist they throw. Their noise is the wild tempest’s voice, ‡‡‡‡When whirlwinds sweep the shore, And far abroad the sound is heard, ‡‡‡‡Like ocean’s hollow roar. ‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡III. Trembling, the neighb’ring hills vibrate, ‡‡‡‡And the impending rocks, Shake in their holds, as from the jars ‡‡‡‡Of far off earthquake shocks. And when less loud Niagara’s Fall ‡‡‡‡Its distant echoes bound, Then wide, the thund’ring roll is spread ‡‡‡‡The Whirlpool’s ceaseless sound. ‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡IV. Through earth’s domain a scene more grand, ‡‡‡‡Is no where to be found. For in one narrow compass rush, ‡‡‡‡Waters that empire’s bound. A thousand lakes and rivers deep, ‡‡‡‡Unite their powerful force, Concentrate through the gorge they plunge, ‡‡‡‡Their headlong, downward course. ‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡V.  Though the Maelstrom’s dread abyss ‡‡‡‡No mariner will near ; Though Plegethon roared fierce and loud, ‡‡‡‡Their terrors all are here. Not mightier is the Cataract, ‡‡‡‡With rainbow, mist and cloud, Whose snowy sheets hang in the air, ‡‡‡‡And massive rocks enshroud. ‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡‡VI.…