Well rock my boat brother I never knew that
Said as sun faded on day's toil carving peat
Back solid pain to come before
Enough beer to fill the fleet after
Jock smiles that end of toiling smile.

I forget what he knew as cause of young man's awe
Now four score years have ebbed
To last tide's sight.
The back remembers times it turned sod
And beer wore off in bog mornings. .

Jock's gone all like him machines
Screwing, de-skilled embodied no pain all gain
I work in virtual clearings' sweat
Mustered stressed alienated perspiration
No tab lit waiting to gasp in pride at end.

Jock gifted me his skill and died with the gift
Returned in Hull beer and seeing wind under
Boots fashioned for winger's flight on floodlit Tuesday
And winning pay's ale sank faster after
Another bog game of work.

Honest toil made men like Jock
Now toil is looted by grey, blue, beige
Suited dullards trained to steal not steel
Themselves against rain back pain mud.
They don't rock my boat.

Reply via email to