Arriving by sea, up the broad river estuary, finding solid land on the marsh edge.
Tide bringing salty water from the sea or polluted water from the city.
Tourist pleasure seekers one tide run from London.
Ships propelled by the pull of tide, push of wind, pressure of steam.
Transition between ship, stage, rail, waiting, moving through, away.
Embarking, migrating, asylum-seeking, commuting.
Defensive threshold, fort lookout, cannon reach.
Eating away the chalk face, rubbing out prehistory, rerouting roads, exposing gunflints, creating a level plateau for Asda’s carpark.
Alluvial clay, limekilns, layers of fine white cement dust.
Buildings repeatedly razed to the ground by fire, bombing, dereliction, re-development.
Lucy
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