Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, RAMBLE OF THE GODS THROUGH BIRMINGHAM, SELECTION, by JAMES BISSET


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

RAMBLE OF THE GODS THROUGH BIRMINGHAM, SELECTION, by                    
First Line: Next day they rambled round the town, and swore
Last Line: With thund'ring hammers made the air resound.
Subject(s): Birmingham, England; Goddesses & Gods; Labor & Laborers; Mythology; Towns; Work; Workers


NEXT day they rambled round the town, and swore,
'That such a place they never saw before':
They visited our Wharfs, and, wond'ring, found
Some thousand tons of coal piled on the ground,
And scores of boats, in length full sixty feet,
With loads of mineral fuel quite replete;
Whilst carts and country waggons filled each space,
And loaded teams stood ranged around the place.
The Gods beheld the whole with great surprise,
And asked, 'from whence we gained such large supplies?'
For, though well versed in all empyreal scenes,
They here were posed, to find our 'Ways and Means.'—
When satisfied—then told some hundred ton
Would be consumed that day, ere setting sun,
In Birmingham alone,—amazed they stood,
And ev'ry pile with admiration viewed.
They next, attracted by the vivid gleams,
Saw marcasites dissolve in liquid streams,
And stuoborn ores expand, and, smelting, flow
By strength of calefaction from below.
To see the Pin-works then the Gods repair,
Nor wondered less at what they met with there,
To find it was in any mortal's pow'r
To point and cut twelve thousand pins an hour;
And fifty thousand heads their shapes acquire
In half that time, spun round elastic wire.
The different Button-works they next review,
And seemed well pleased with sights so rare and new:
The various ores they saw rich hues impart,
Assuming different shapes, by skilful art;
And beauteous metals polished charms display,
In radiant colours ranged in fair array;
The process of the gilding looked well o'er,
Yet scarce could tell rich-gilt from semilore;
Each stamp, each lathe and press they careful scanned,
Then went to see the paper trays japanned;
Examined nicely ev'ry curious part,
And much admired th' improvements of the art...
Next, at the Gun-works, they surprised beheld
The lusty Cyclops musket-barrels weld;
Whilst peals like rattling thunder shook the roof,
When nit'rous powers proclaimed them Standard Proof.
The dread explosions, winged by echoes round,
Made Gods themselves to startle at the sound.
To see the Buckle-works they next repaired;
'Twas ere that fancy trade was so impaired,
When all the makers had a full employ,
Which made some thousand hearts to dance for joy;
For buckles then by high and low were wore,
Nor were by Sprigs of Fashion deemed 'a Bore.'
A fatal epithet, however glossed,
For thousands by that word their bread have lost.
Ingenious engines proved mechanic pow'rs,
And happy passed the months, weeks, days and hours;
'The Toy-Shop of the World' then reared its crest,
Whilst hope and joy alternate filled each breast.
Inventions curious, various kinds of toys,
Then occupied the time of men and boys,
And blooming girls at work were often seen,
That twice their ages joined was scarce fifteen,
Sent by their parents out their bread to seek,
Who'd earn, perhaps, some shillings in a week;
And many women, too, you then might see,
With children on the lap, or round the knee,
An honest livelihood intent to gain,
And their sweet infant race help to maintain.
Charmed with the sight, the Gods the whole reviewed,
And seemed with admiration quite subdued.
To see each warlike weapon they resort,
And viewed the polished blade of various sort,
The scimitar, the sword, the faulchion bright,
Formed for the dreadful horrors of the fight;
Sharp pointed poniards and the sabre keen,
Spikes, spears and lances were in thousands seen.
From thence they went well satisfied away,
To see the whip ingenious engines play;
Then Lloyd's famed mill for slitting iron rods,
Was honoured by the presence of the Gods.
To Whitmore's then, intent on earth to scan
The wond'rous works of still more wond'rous man,
They next resorted; and hydraulics new,
Machines and rolling-mills with pleasure view;
Whilst sturdy Cyclops, anvils ranged around,
With thund'ring hammers made the air resound.




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