Down by the river-side

Cherry

By Rhiannonw

Thu, 28 Jul 2016
  • 3157 reads
13 comments
 

(growth of a capital)

Snaking river –
tide of trade
flowing
out,
and drawing
in:
ships,
boat building,             
dockworkers,
factories, shops:
dwellings cluster,
congregate, aggregate,
proliferate, propagate;

steadily the river flows,
well-watered city grows, and grows.

Rulers rich raise
solid builds
aesthetic,
that last, conserved
– become historic;

tangled with
the cheap and flimsy
housing packed, and stacked:

comradeship and grime,
greed and envy
breeding crime,
sparks of faith and light:
honest coster-'pearls'
delight to share their ‘meagre-mite’.

New tide of trade –
mushrooming financial
information web
stretching
out,
and fetching
in,
over oceans hopping,
instantaneous,
never stopping …
day and night.

The river (cleaner now)
has put its brand
and snaked around the hearts
of those who’ve settled on its plain,
close to its banks glad to remain,
soothed by the constant onward
water movement gliding, sliding by.

Certificate U
Poem
Miscellaneous
Historical Fiction

Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Rhiannon,

this poem so reminded me of Bristol. All the descriptions summed up not only what I remember, but also of times gone.

Thank you for sharing.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks for the comment, Jenny.
I suppose many cities did grow around rivers. This is obviously firstly referring to London, for the competition. Though now a 'rural-town girl', I lived in greater London as a teenager awhile and enjoyed the freedom to be able to travel up, and my mother-in-law (nearly 97) now lives a lot in her happpy memories of early married life (just post-WW2) in central London, having little money, walking everywhere, and when things got too much 'going to walk by the Thames'! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

..  it used to be so dirty, people said you could develop photos in the water - much cleaner now - I always think it looks beautiful from a plane, snaking through the city. Good luck with the competition!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Insert. It's fun to have a suggestion to stir thinking about a different subject, and gathering thoughts, anyway!

I remember the river Taff in Cardiff being black with coal dust, and now there are herons and cormorants fishing there I think! Rhiannon

PS Do you think you could get the info at the top of the 'Competitions' section about last winter's competition removed - it contains a link of yours that doesn't exist now anyway! Rh

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

will do - thanks!

 

Submitted by jolono on

I love the Thames. Something like 150 different species of fish now swim in. It looks dirty but thats just the silt because its tidal. Great poem!!!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, Jolono. All rivers are soothing, and appreciated in a special way in large towns, I think. As I said above, it is lovely hearing my mother-in-law's happy memories of living by it! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Rhiannon

I really enjoyed reading this - and having you bring history into your poetry. Beautifully done. Good luck.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

thanks, Jean. It' s often enjoyable to have a different subject to think about, and I liked gathering these thoughts together! I have a few older pieces about visits to London that I may dig out to add to the panorama of views on the capital, which is partly what Jolono is after I think! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

This describes the Thames to a T, Rhiannon.
Good luck in the competition.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

thanks, Luigi, a prompt gathers new thoughts together! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by jolono on

The Thames will always have a special place in my heart. No idea why.... but I somehow feel at home when I'm near it. Enjoyed this immensely.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, again, Jolono. Enjoyed thinking through this verse. I like visiting London, though happy living in the country now. It is fascinating to listen to my mother-in-law as she relives her deep affection for early married life wandering the capital, and by the river. Rhiannon