The Last Watch by Stan Rogers

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The Last Watch
by Stan Rogers

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