I am Tanya Trisentona - 

Hiding in the dappled sun and moonshine.

Where the green trees meet together,

Oh daughter of the water, this is me.

I rise from the river at Risingbrook,

Swan maiden of the river from Risingbrook.

Oh! Oh! I’m running free.

Oh! Oh! I’m running free.

Curious? I’m the river!

I give life - you see

Grebe, Vole, Bream and the Man upstream,

Thrice beloved goddess.

I am Suzie Trisentona -

Searching for my hero in the swirl.

Mossy mystery where black rock freeze,

From Biddulph Moor to Flax I rush and roam.

Stardust from heaven to the foaming falls, solar

Fish fly up river where the wild front calls,

Oh! Oh! Go North Go Home!

Oh! Oh! Go North Go Home.

Curious? I’m the river!

I give life - you see

Grebe, Vole, Bream and the Man upstream,

Thrice beloved goddess.

I am Ruby Trisentona - 

The beauty of a rainbow in my skin.

No man's armies can stop my odyssey

Rambling, roaming pilgrim fierce I flow.

Survivors of this journey cry ‘Shushanya!’

Roaring Trent to Mease and Tame and Humber!

Oh! Oh! We’re running free!

Oh! Oh! We’re running free!

Curious? I’m the river!

I give life - you see

Grebe, Vole, Bream and the Man upstream,

Thrice beloved goddess.

Grebe, Vole, Bream and the Man upstream,

Thrice beloved goddess.

Thrice beloved goddess.

Thrice beloved“Trisentona”

.

Music and Lyrics written and performed by Esther Brennan with thanks to local musician Mark Burke on guitar.

Esther was commissioned by B. ARTS to collect stories and feelings of the River Trent during a Climate Cafe workshop in Stoke (01/08/26),whilst making decorated paper fish and at House of Bread in Stafford (11/08/26 ) whilst building Grebe nests and experiencing sensory stimuli of the river .

Thank you, to all participants for sharing your wild, secret, endearing and nostalgic contemplations of the River Trent. We created new stories of the Trent and its wildlife, some reflected on sights, sounds and smells and some expressed recollections of lives, and memories of happenings near the river.

I’ve tried to capture the varied responses, within a song structure that reflects the rhythm of ‘Trent’ or ‘Three rivers’ by using 3/3 waltz time - 3 verses - 3 choruses - and the myth of the river being a goddess ‘Trisentona’. I named her (thrice beloved) using three relevant female names of significance ‘Tanya’, ‘Ruby’ and ‘Suzie’ from our participant stories, during the project work in both Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford. They become the three verses. 

The river itself is a phenomenon of the ice age and of physical perseverance and strength, as it makes its way from small beginnings in Biddulph, heading easterly, then north to the Humber, giving life to the flora and fauna, and to human civilization and industry. I was struck by the similar qualities of Trisentona (Trent), clearly evident in the lives of our human contributors who have also adapted, survived, changed path, resisted challenge, nurtured new life, and fallen and risen, grown and transformed, and found others to collaborate and thrive…The chorus was the final part to be written. It reminds us that life itself is a creative journey, for living. Despite trials and tribulations, each twist and turn can bring a new strength, opportunity or hope. That we can remain ‘curious’ about how we create our own path or new chapter.

The song has been recorded in its simplest form with voice and guitar (thanks to Ryan at B. ARTS for your time and patience). In my own mind I hear the song with further orchestral and choir arrangement…who knows how the river might flow!

Esther can be contacted via email estherbrennan10@gmail.com