See yon laddie wi’ the tacketty boots
Headin’ for the ferry boat tae take him hame
His name’s Wullie Elder he’s a shipyard welder
But that’s no’ tae say that it’s his only claim tae fame
They were launchin’ a boat tae see if it wid float
The Queen cracked a bottle oan the big boat’s casin’
She gave it a wee nudge but the thing widnae budge
Wullie’d welded the bottom o’ the tanker tae the basin
He went tae the dancin’ for a wee bit o’ romancin’
An’ he picked up a wumman wi’ yon highlights in her hair
The jiggin’ wis okay but when they danced the oaky-coaky
The tacketts oan his boots were tearin’ chunks oot o’ the flerr
Then they danced the twist an’ the band played it faster
His tacketties were rippin’ like a router at the grain
The sawdust wis flyin’ he wis headin’ for disaster
Wullie’s borin’ through the floorin’ Wullie no’ come back again
S S Daphne
( In Memoriam )
The Day had dawned like any other one
The Mother yawned and kissed her only son
Watching as he slowly spread his wings
Anxious as she cut her apron strings
The Father walked beside his little boy
The Offspring talked of dreams of hope and joy
Apprenticed to his father would be hard
Aboard the SS Daphne in the yard
His pride a lass was ready for her naming
The Clyde alas so greedy for the claiming
When champagne bubbles drenched the hull
The sky had turned a deathly dull
Then down the slipway trailing chain
The cheering crowd all wet with rain
Foghorns blaring in celebration
Tugboats waiting in anticipation
In the blink of an eye the scene had changed
Him in the sky had another arranged
Into the river the steamship splashed
With one dreadful lurch all hope was dashed
Hope and dreams of the deep blue ocean
As Daphne was listing a circular motion
The Woeful Day wore on and on
The Mother knew all hope was gone
The Father she had come to cherish
Among the ones who were to perish
The Offspring scarcely in his teens
Remains with her in all her dreams
The Day has ended but Him above
Will hold the souls within His love
Joe Sharp
