We’re the 17 Paddlers
By Karen Jarrell
(with apologies to Stewball the Racehorse)
The river was ripping
And bright was the sun
When we launched from the put-in
And prepared for the fun
We laugh when its raining (chorus)
We sing when its grey
We’re the 17 paddlers
On the Grand Ronde today
Red Rock take the left channel
Big waves at Blind Fall
The seventeen paddled
With no dumps at all
Chorus
I’m sure we are all skillful
But we are not through yet
So please do not blame me
If you have a wreck
Chorus
The sky it turned greyer
The wind it grew damp
The rafters were freezing
When we finally reached camp
Don always says it
And you know that it’s true
The weather will do what
The weather will do
We all wanted sun but
Got two days of rain
We all hate Don’s saying
But won’t be profane
Kate and Alan who paddled
With vigor and might
Still got all their gear soaked
While sleeping that night
Bruce is the tall guy
In the long white canoe
Who zips down the river
And reads when he’s through
He’s handy when tying
The rain tarps each time
He reaches tall branches
So we don’t have to climb
Joan is a paddler
Of great style and grace
She also loves Bob
And says so to his face
Eric and Joann
They really are fine
They never drink water
They always drink wine
Eric’s the rower
Joann a great cook
They always find flowers
And look them up in their book
Roy is a rower
And Sally sings songs
She dances with Eric's kid
And makes me dance along
Young Eric goes solo
Guarding his kid all day
He must not trust rafters
But he doesn’t say
Charlie and Bob they
Make sure the coffee is made
They’re first up each morning
And they aren’t even paid
Don is our leader
He shows us the way
Sometimes this works out
For the rest we won’t say.
Pat and Eileen are champions
They’re great folks you see
They made a hot shower
And shared it with me
The raft with two motors
Kit and Charlie together
Speed along down the river
And keep going forever
Karen loves nature
And poetry too
And if you ask her to sing
She will give you a tune
We laugh when it’s raining (chorus)
We sing when it’s grey
We bathe when there’s sunshine
We just got some today
We may be sarcastic
But we’re never rude
We help one another
And bring too much food
We dance on the water
We sing when it’s black
We flinch when the groover
Slaps us on the back
We laugh when it’s raining
We sing when it’s grey
We the 17 paddlers
On the Grand Ronde today
The poetry’s rotten
The rhyme mostly wrong
But I hope you have enjoyed
This ridiculous song
