Worker - by
sweat the felt screed the cement
/ pack the joist level the cleat
/ eat the piece hammer the nail
/ …
work
Find Work - by
I tie my Hat—I crease my Shawl—
/ Life’s little duties do—precisely
/ …
The Way of the World - by
We set out on our horses, and the small birds of dawn were with us.
/ We return to the tethering-lines with…
Tree Surgeons - by
They range amongst the upper limbs
/ like primates encumbered with care,
/
/ find parts of trees we’d recognise
/ as human gestures on the level,
/
/ pass…
The Check-Oot Quine’s Lament - by
Tatties, neeps, and ingan,
/ Poother for the wash,
/ Wullie’s needin new sheen,
/ Grip, skyte, flash.
/
/ Sweeties, ale, some flooer,
/ A…
Skills - by
inventing jobs
/ teaching the skills
/
/ of applying for jobs
/
/ —-
/
/ one of millions
/ training
/
/ to acquire the skills
/ to apply…
Skeleton Staff - by
Spring Bank Holiday. The first hot day of the year.
/ As the others, in shorts, slob around beer gardens
/ or…
Eight Tentacles - by
If only I had an octopus
/ I’d soon get my housework done.
/ I’d set him to work on the hoovering…
Happy Families - by
Mr Pill the pharmacist
/ Mrs Bunn the baker
/ Master Leak the plumber’s mate
/ B. Grave the undertaker.
/
/ Mr Blast, who…
from Wanted A Husband - by
Wanted a husband who doesn’t suppose,
/ That all earthly employments one feminine knows, –
/ That she’ll scrub, do the cleaning,…
The Construction of the Forth Railway Bridge 1882-1890 - by
Knitting and riveting
/ pinning and…
Nightshift at the Plug Mill - by
Four hours into the dark I’d fall asleep
/ for seconds, then wake to the scream
/ of gears, as the belt started up
/ and…