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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ON THE LATE SHIFT, by PATRICK MACGILL Poet's Biography First Line: Seven waggons to siding four, one to the buffer / end Last Line: For a mourning dress at dawn. Subject(s): Accidents; Death; Disasters; Heaven; Railroad Wrecks; Dead, The; Paradise; Train Wrecks | |||
Mayhap there's a hitch in the signal wire, Or the other points are drawn, But some go out on the night-shift lone That never come in with the dawn, And a crimson splash on the engine wheel Just tells of the shunter gone. SEVEN waggons to siding four, one to the buffer end — Damn you, watch! or they'll run you down. God, it's a hellish night! Jimmy Collins is getting a wife — time he was making a bend — There he's there at the dead-end points, signalling with the light. "A good man out on the night-shift, Jim, willing — and ain't it queer, There he's singing, the first time I've heard him in my life — Yes, willing and straight is Jimmy, I've mated him seven year — Damn it, it's blowing somewhat — and now he looks for a wife. "See and look to your carcass, and watch! On a night like this You never can tell the minute — where has that Collins gone? — An engine punches your ticket — God, if your feet should miss — Damn me! I think I'm nervous — signal the engine on. "Two o'clock! I was certain 't was almost break of day — Where is Collins? Oh, yonder. I'm wet to the very spine — A train for the cross-road siding — pull it the other way — Collins, you fool! what ails you? Jump to the other line! "Collins, you idiot, jump it! ... Christ, he's down like a sack! ... Surely he must have heard me. ... Speak to me, Jimmy, do. ... Tell me you aren't hurted — ah! the blood on track — ... I shifted the engine, Jimmy, but heavens! I thought you knew." "Break it to her in the morning — I was thinking about her, then — The wind was blowing awful — sudden the engine came. ... ... Whistle the box for the signal. ... Married to her at ten. ... Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name." Mayhap there's a hitch in the signal wire, Or the other points are drawn, But a red stain gleams on the deadly flange, And a night-shift man is gone — And the bride to be has changed her robe For a mourning dress at dawn. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE WRECK OF THE GREAT NORTHERN by ROBERT HEDIN THE TAY BRIDGE DISEASTER by WILLIAM MCGONAGALL TRAINWRECKED SOLDIERS by JOHN FREDERICK NIMS A WRECKED LOCOMOTIVE by HARRY RANDOLPH BLYTHE THE ENGINEER'S SIGNAL by FRANCIS BRET HARTE WITH THE BREAKDOWN SQUAD by PATRICK MACGILL SAVING A TRAIN by WILLIAM MCGONAGALL THE ASHTABULA DISASTER by JULIA A. MOORE THE MAN IN THE CAB by NIXON WATERMAN |
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