The Ballad of Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea and York

In days when east meant not-so west

and men wore silly hats

two men were chosen to thither westward

to discover this and uncover that

one of these stood tall and broad

the other man less so

hence forth from Pittsburgh did they hence

floating the mighty Ohio

the tale of William Clark

by Jefferson’s decree

will follow closely the tale of Meriwether Lewis

from sea to shining sea

they journeyed on to conquer curiosity

they set forth in the name of science

they marched on to stretch the boundaries of profit

with and or without native compliance

Across mighty Midwestern expanses

snaking up the Missouri

these men alone did boldly go

this Corps of Discovery

wintering in Mandan

home of Fort Mandan

the Expedition found an unlikely guide

for this guide was no man

Sacajawea told tales of an ocean most pacific

that lay across rocky mountains high

“we should probably just take her with us”

Lewis agreed with a sigh

So once again the Corps ventured forth

“to Asia!” they did shout

It became clear to them just outside of Montana

that China was a good ways out

foot by arduous foot

but mostly by canoe

The Expedition continued westward

discovering and making do

then one foggy Christmas day

blessedly and at long last

the Corps crested the last undiscovered hill

and discovered an ocean vast

marine biology was not on the charter

and Asia was not to be found

passage to the Northwest would have to do

so Clark stuck a flag in the ground

Turning east towards home again

westward expansion was cut short

beset upon by Oregon’s fierce winter blast

the Corps would need another fort

Lewis called for beachfront property

Clark demanded a hilltop view

a majority rule could not be established

the two of them numbered too few

and so it was that another discovery

was made by the Corps on that day

Sacagawea and the slave Sergeant York

would be required to have their say

we shall call it “Equality” declared Lewis

and did so with much pomp and pride

how novel it was to include the whole bunch

when they were merely along for the ride

turning back east towards Pittsburgh

back through western lands wild and free

neither Lewis nor Clark could recall later

what became of “Equality”