The Last Watch

They dragged her down, dead, from Tobermory

Too cheap to spare her one last head of steam

Deep in diesel fumes embraced

Rust and soot upon the face of one who was so clean

They brought me here to watch her in the boneyard

Just two old wrecks to spend the night alone

It’s the dark inside this evil place

Clouds on the moon hide her disgrace

This whiskey hides my own

It’s the last watch on the Midland

The last watch alone

One last night to love her

The last night she’s whole

My guess is that we were young together

Like her’s, my strength was young and hard as steel

And like her too, I knew my ground

I scarcely felt the years go round

In answer to the wheel

But then they quenched the fire beneath the boiler

Gave me a watch and showed me out the door

At sixty-four, you’re still the best

One year more, and then you’re less

Than dust upon the floor

So here’s to useless superannuation

And us old relics of the days of steam

In the morning, Lord, I would prefer

WHen men with torches come for her

Let angels come for me