Museum of Science and Industry

Additional poems by Denis Woodward can be downloaded from the right hand side of this page.

Mill Workers Lament

The sound of clogs on a cobbled street
Cowered, shawled heads, mill sirens greet
The endless lines of walking folk
The occasional smile to a fanciful joke.

Adults and children mixed as one
Extended shifts, no joy, no fun,
Danger abounds on every floor
A thankless task, a painful chore.

Sweat appears on every brow
Machines turned on, no stopping now
Aches and pains, an aching back
One of many of a faceless pack.

Siren sounds the end of a day
A sigh of relief, must find a way
To escape this life, if only awhile
And return again with a grudging smile.

By Denis Woodward