Poems

What happens
to old river rafters
to old boatmen
to old guides

What becomes of
these story tellers
these legends
and their prides

What do they do after
that last tale
that last ale
or last smile

In the river
they will linger
they will wander
they don’t die

In each hole
they wait to help us
to guide us
for a smooth ride

Under each rock
they stand ready
with strong arms
to push our boats aside

Like the rivers they live in
they’re untamed
laughing happy
and flowing wild.

Jafer Stevens

   Jafar, 15, just made his
first Grand Canyon trip
with his father Scotty,
an OARS boatman.