TEISA
To Stockton next, whose fair neat streets proclaim,
Clocina (1) there does not presume to reign.
By thee enrich'd, fair TEISA, merchants here
Like princes, all magnificent appear:
With Pallas' (2) spirit ship-wrights are inspir'd,
Of her their noble art they have acquir'd.
Smooth TEISA gently glides away from hence
To Potrach, ships of burden now advance
To take the loading that the keels have brought
Around we see: the little barges float
Some busy, take away their foreign store,
Others,of our own produce, are bringing more
Like the muscular heart's velocity,
Where the systole and the diastole agree.
By fits to drive away,and to retain
The crimson blood, while vital pow'rs remain:
Th' affairs of life in equal tenor run, All in a circle imitate the sun.
Some houses next we see, that bear the name
Of Newport, but they scarce attention claim.
Here limpid TEISA'S waters form an isle,
Rich, fertile, as great vivifying Nile;
Where verdant liquorish in plenty grows,
Fair pectoral plant! rosy health oft flows
From thy sweet medical, balsamic pow'r!
Relieving often in the needful hour,
The faint labouring lungs, when almost spent;
From gracious heav'n are healing simples sent.
While we survey the brute creation o'er,
(Amidst fair nature's universal store)
We find they choose their physic and their food;
Rejecting noxious herbs,they take the good;
Such virtue in herbs did the Grecians feign,
That by their use youth was reflor'd again;
This secret, friendly unto human life,
Was known alone to Jason's royal wife.
Now Cleveland's busy port (3) , my Muse, we view!
To beauteous TEISA here we bid adieu:
United with the sea, she forms a bay
In whose wide bosom barks commodious lay:
Bellona has not thunder'd on this shore,
Its foaming surge ne'er blushed with human gore
These humble barks no slaught'ring engines know,
Their guards are honest tars, who freely go
To ransack distant earth, the stormy sea.
All to bring back wealth to their lov'd country.
Attempting thus, with unambitious strain,
To please some rural Nymph,or country swain;
Father TEISUS rear'd his reverend head,
The winds to peace were hush'd, while thus he said:
Accept our thanks,O northern female bard
Who to attempt our daughter's praise has dar'd.
1 Clocina Roman goddess of sewers and latrines!
2 Pallas Another name for Greek Goddess Athena . Two of my brothers-in-law were shipwrights.Wonder if they knew they were inspired by Athena?(Incidentally it's also where the word Palladium comes from)
3 Port Cleveland . A former name of Cargo Fleet
Wilson, Ann. Teisa: A descriptive poem of the River Teese, its towns and antiquities. By Anne Wilson. Newcastle upon Tyne, 1778. Based on information from English Short Title Catalogue. Eighteenth Century Collections Online. Gale Group.
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