Savannah Lullaby

When I was a child,
Pirates and cowboys
And Confederate soldiers
Populated my dreams
And lulled me to sleep
Beneath a Civil War Centennial map
And the promise of
A chapter from "Treasure Island",
As read by my mother.

But now that I am older
Nothing suits me finer
Than treading the remnants
Of the ballastones you find
On River Street and Bay Street
Up from Factor's Walk
And watching down river
For the first sight of British gunboats
Or yankees off the coast,
Or the shadow of Billy Bones
Ducking back into an alleyway.

Right now,
Nothing would be better
Than a dull pewter tankard
Full of thick, dark porter,
And the sweet and savory mix of she-crab stew,
Red rice and shrimp,
Followed by the melancholy melody
Of an Irish singer's brogue,
Trailing down the streets
Once tread by pirates and
Soldiers, ship captains and stevedores.