No point in hanging back there , no point in pulling rank .

You can either come along with me , or else ( if you're too poor )

You can wander for a hundred years on Acheron River's shore .

Hold back that last lot , Hermes , [ though none of them seems keen,]

I can tell you that this latest crowd is the biggest I have seen.

I wonder what happens up above to bring them here below?

But I tell you , there's too many now for my old frame to row!

Praise Zeus , that I've been able to save some ready cash ,

(I banked it on the other side , it was a large-ish stash ).

Then I persuaded Hephaestus to modernise his shop

And build for me a motor , with a triple bladed prop.

I can get the clients to the other side at about ten times the speed

And leave these scrawny arms of mine comparatively freed .

But as usual with new progress , I've found that there's a catch --

The price at a single obol apiece is not enough to match

The rising costs of maintenance , and especially gasoline

And I spent the lot of that account on which I used to lean .

So I 'm caught between old Hades , and this lot waiting here--

Their numbers keep on growing --- and alas it is my fear

That if earth's nations don't make peace -- instead of making war--

They'll keep on coming down to us in waves of more and more .

I'll keep on filling my old boat , though the prospect's looking grim --

They could all stay here at Acheron ? or maybe they might swim ?

But no matter what will happen , I'll be in a proper fix.

I might need to franchise boatmen on the Lethe or the Styx.