River Night

by Frances Frost

Up and down the river the barges go:     

Whether moons are yellow, whether stars flow     

Softly over city, softly over town,     

Sleepily the barges go up and down.     

Up and down the river on summer nights     

the barges drift, and emerald lights     

and crimson prick the darkness     

under blown out stars and gathering thunder.     

Up and down the river the barges go,     

Up and down the darkness river winds blow,     

And sleepers in a city and sleepers in a town     

Dream of the barges going up and down.