The Grand Canyon 209 



A river takes the drainage 

 Back to the restless sea, 

 Carves as it goes a passage 

 Widening gracefully and free. 



"Tell me" asks my companion 

 "How the river cuts its way, 

 Where the stars faint light is shining 

 In the middle of the day, 



So deep below the surface, 

 That the sun's most dazzling ray 

 N'er gleams upon the water 

 That is beaten into spray?'' 



Well : then listen to the story 

 How in ages long ago, 

 The earth rose from the water 

 And the land began to grow. 



As the earth was slowly rising, 

 Rivers bed cut through the land, 

 The rocks that tumbled in it 

 The gravel, rock and sand 



Scoured out and carved the basin 

 As the vast land masses rose, 

 And the mighty Colorado 

 Flows where it used to flow. 



