A Great Northern River - The Unthanks

the big ships sail up, the big ships sail down

a great northern river

funnels of red, funnels of black

banded with yellow and silver

bringing in cargos of oil and wood

taking home girders of steel and pick iron

oh, coloured faces, flaxom old places

high from the sternposts are flying

down on the docks, down on the wharves

lofty grain standing

stevedores working and rivermen shouting

crews making ready for London

ropes black and tarry

chains rusty and red

lay among timber and bollards and packing

seagulls wheel over wild river cats

down on the jetties are watching

nights by the docks, pack’d smoky pubs

plenty of shouting and swearing

heavy brown ale, thick muddy stout,

and nobody’s caring

a lass starts to warble a popular song

they’re throwing her pennies and pieces of silver

closing time called, silence then falls

on a great northern river