Mississippi River Quotes

“Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”

“Wikipedia: Mississippi River”

“I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset.”

“Majestic stream! along thy banks,
In silent, stately, solemn ranks,
The forests stand, and seem with pride
To gaze upon thy mighty tide.”

“And the Mississippi, an inland main,
With its orange-groves and its fields of cane.Sweet, round the tawny river’s mouth,
Blew the rare odors of the South.”

“Monarch of Rivers in the wide domain
Where Freedom writes her signature in stars,
And bids her eagle bear the blazing scroll,
To usher in the reign of peace and love,
Thou mighty Mississippi!”

“O grandly flowing river!
O silver-gliding river!
Thy springing willows shiver
  In the sunset as of old...
O gay, oblivious river!
O sunset-kindled river!
Do you remember ever
  The eyes and skies so blue...
O stern impassive river!
O still unanswering river!
The shivering willows quiver
  As the night-winds moan and rave.”

“The Mississippi of the North! bright stream
On whose fair bosom first of all their race,
Marquette and Joliet float, and fondly dream
Of empires new and heathen brought to grace.
How pride and wonder lighted up each face
While down the stream the brave explorers sped,
Marking the devious windings as they trace
The noble river’s wood-environed bed
To where Missouri’s waves the gentle waters wed.
* * * * *
Untamed and restless river! in thy bed,
From Cape Girardeau to the delta’s verge,
Vibrating waywardly; thy wild waves fed
With spoil of shores down-fallen in the surge,
And floating forests, which thy waters urge
In endless drift into the distant sea,
Where thou and all thy hundred confluents merge;
In thy long reaching flow still shalt thou be
From man’s restraining masonry forever free!”