What Masefield Missed

What Masefield missed

Painted narrow horse-boat with its polished butty
Climbing through the lock pounds, one by one
With a cargo of limestone
Iron waste, spelter
Carpets, vinegar
Or pure black coal.

Cargoes
Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory,
And apes and peacocks,
Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.
Stately Spanish gal/eon coming from the Isthmus,
Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,
With a cargo of diamonds,
Emeralds, amethysts,
Topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.
Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.


Ancient bit of writing from back in the 1990s.