A Late October Dawn

The brown flood that was flowing bank high yesterday
Though somewhat subsided towards the ocean rapidly babbling it's way
And in the cool gray of a late October dawn
The salmon against the strong current are swimming upriver to spawn
The urge to breed in them they do brave their fear
And run the gauntlet of the poacher's gaff and spear
Who search for to kill them in the dead of night
In the river shallows with the aid of powerful spotlight
To pass on their genes in them there is the need
And in late Autumn they risk their lives to swim upriver to breed
Though some their goal to breed due to poachers do not attain
And they never return to the ocean again
Against the strong current in the gray of a chilly October dawn
The salmon are swimming upriver to spawn.