A Great Northern River

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