Lower Pool

“Where are you bound for,
    Sailorman, sailorman
With the missis and the dog
    And your big spreets’l flopping?”
“Maldon, Manningtree,
West as far’s the Wight, maybe,
With bricks, hay,
China-clay,
Bit o’ that or
    Bit o’ this,
Don’t much matter
    What it is —
Here, there
Everywhere,
    And back again to Wapping . . . .”

    “Where are you bound for,
    Sailorman, sailorman
Up and down the coast
    For a little bit o’ shopping?”
“Shields, Tyne, Grimsby, Goole,
Hull, Hell an’ Hartlepool,
With salt, soap,
Coals and rope,
Bit o that or
    Bit o’ this
Don’t much matter
    What it is —
Here, there
Everywhere,
    And back again to Wapping . . . .”

    “Where are you bound for,
    Sailorman, sailorman
Down from Lower Pool
    On the late tide dropping?”
“’Cross the bay and sou’ Spain,
Round the world and home again,
With motor-cars, steel rails
Worcester sauce and bags o’ nails,
Cloves, cork, cotton seed,
Soya beans and parrot-feed,
Bit o’ that or
    Bit o’ this
Don’t much matter
    What it is —
Here, there
Everywhere,
    And back again to Wapping . . . .”