Farewell To High Tree Travel Towers Poem by Francis Duggan

Farewell To High Tree Travel Towers



Farewell to High Tree Travel Towers I hate these last goodbyes
For the very thought of leaving bring teardrops to my eyes
And though with some of my ex work mates I did not see eye to eye
We did not have much common ground still they are good as I.

James and Tod Lane ordered to make the cuts then cut their workforce by nine
And the S.E.C. for their cutbacks look further down the line
The directors and managers jobs are safe they draw their easy pay
We'll cut back on tree clearing gangs who need them anyway

No blame on High Tree Travel Towers cannot blame James or Tod
Our future was in other hands the hands of a higher god
And this time god was the S.E.C. they halved the high tree crew
James and Tod ordered to make the cuts we don't need you or you.

Poor Andy gone he lost his job and faint hope of return
A victim of the cruel cutbacks a lesson here to learn
No value on the working man he merely fills a space
When money in the till is low he's the first to lose his place.

And Ken lost out I pity him and he deserve sympathy
He has a mortgage on his house and a young family
His wife of late has quit her job and hard luck has taken toll
And for one with mortgage on his house what future on the dole?

And Joe who failed to make the cut has a huge mortgage to pay
I'll go in search of work next week at least that's what he say
But there's no work in Frankston no jobs in Carrum Down
And doubt now one could find a job even in Melbourne Town.

Big Tom not needed anymore and young John too lost out
And for John it's back on the dole queue and back to hand to mouth
And Rowan and the big fellow Jack not needed anymore
And no jobs about and times have never been so tough before.

And Richard gone he too lost out life sometimes can be cruel
It may be said that he once more can turn to teaching school
Still teachers now faced with cutbacks and no chance of work there
And money scarce and times are tough and close downs everywhere.

Don Brice our foreman hard to please he always pushed us hard
His idea give the boys an inch and they will take a yard
Still most of other tree clearing gangs kept on and many of them slack
And when the S.E.C. looked at their books 'twas our crew were cutback

Still one can't put the blame on Don as Don thought he was doing right
But he should know of his error now and he should see the light
For the S.E.C. you don't work hard you draw the easy pay
You do as little as you can and sit around all day.

Farewell to High Tree Travel Towers my heart is flood with tears
And I feel an emptiness within I've never felt for years
If younger men can't find a job what hope for the likes of me
And what chance have I of finding work in in this ageist society

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