Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
England: Vols. I–IV. 1876–79. | | | | Slaughden | | The Quay of Slaughden | | George Crabbe (1754–1832) |
| | (From The Borough)
YON is our quay! those smaller hoys from town, | |
| Its various ware, for country use, bring down; | |
| Those laden wagons, in return, impart | |
| The country produce to the city mart. | |
| Hark to the clamor in that miry road, | 5 |
| Bounded and narrowed by yon vessel’s load! | |
| The lumbering wealth she empties round the place, | |
| Package and parcel, hogshead, chest, and case: | |
| While the loud seaman and the angry hind, | |
| Mingling in business, bellow to the wind. | 10 |
| Near these a crew amphibious, in the docks, | |
| Rear, for the sea, those castles on the stocks: | |
| See the long keel, which soon the waves must hide! | |
| See the strong ribs which form the roomy side! | |
| Bolts yielding slowly to the sturdiest stroke, | 15 |
| And planks which curve and crackle in the smoke. | |
| Around the whole rise cloudy wreaths, and far | |
| Bear the warm pungence of o’er-boiling tar. | |
| Dabbling on shore half-naked sea-boys crowd, | |
| Swim round a ship, or swing upon the shroud; | 20 |
| Or in a boat purloined, with paddles play, | |
| And grow familiar with the watery way: | |
| Young though they be, they feel whose sons they are, | |
| They know what British seamen do and dare; | |
| Proud of that fame, they raise and they enjoy | 25 |
| The rustic wonder of the village boy. | | | | |
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