Wind-chilled on the mudflats
In a hazy winter sunrise,
The Irish, gaunt, chain-smoking,
Tumble from the ganger's van
Piratical, dishevelled,
Still wearing suits from last night -
Do they never sleep?
Fixing steel frenetically in sparkling frost
Till the sun grows warm enough to warm the steel;
And soon the hangover is sweated out,
Forgotten, and they start to talk.
Scarred rust-red hands enfold
Sweet mugs of tea. They start to laugh.
Gleefully obstreperous
They hoist and haul bridge-bouncing cables -
Precarious on parapets in failing light
While civil engineers like tented generals
Pace and fret in nominal command.
Never tired and never sane
They lean from the van going home,
Inviting London to pub and party,
Bright lights, and Hammersmith rain.
In a hazy winter sunrise,
The Irish, gaunt, chain-smoking,
Tumble from the ganger's van
Piratical, dishevelled,
Still wearing suits from last night -
Do they never sleep?
Fixing steel frenetically in sparkling frost
Till the sun grows warm enough to warm the steel;
And soon the hangover is sweated out,
Forgotten, and they start to talk.
Scarred rust-red hands enfold
Sweet mugs of tea. They start to laugh.
Gleefully obstreperous
They hoist and haul bridge-bouncing cables -
Precarious on parapets in failing light
While civil engineers like tented generals
Pace and fret in nominal command.
Never tired and never sane
They lean from the van going home,
Inviting London to pub and party,
Bright lights, and Hammersmith rain.
