Clocking Off

Clocking Off

A Poem by Chris Shaw
"

More river musings, and yes this has happened at lock gates :)

"
See the marbled waters surging
through the sluice gates, open wide.
Feel the bows and sterns of cruisers
rising roughly side by side,
as the Keeper of the lock gates
keeps his eyes upon the clock.
Time for lunch his belly tells him,
off he goes he's clocking off.
"Man the gates yourselves", he's saying,
"lunch is lunch and I'm not staying".

© 2019 Chris Shaw


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sometimes I wish you would take a picture of your portraits not that your portraits aren't pictures but i would like to see some of these scenes here we have giant locks with these 20 foot doors i"m not sure what sort of contraption sluice gates are but im curious now:) love the ending made me chuckle!

Posted 5 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Chris Shaw

5 Years Ago

Dear Bunny, I have never posted images, mainly because I want the words to be read and for pictures .. read more



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Rye
This is so wonderful, loved the ending, I laughed at it. nicely written

Posted 5 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Chris Shaw

5 Years Ago

Thank you Rye, pleased the poem made you smile.
Chris
Lovely work! Now I'm hungry too!

Posted 5 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Chris Shaw

5 Years Ago

Thank you so much for your review and the smile. Pleased for your visit.

Chris
this made me laugh! so cute, for some reason i can see myself in this situation. i like how you worded it; so simple, yet enough to make images in my head.

Posted 5 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Chris Shaw

5 Years Ago

Hello there, hello there. Pleased to meet you. Thanks for your visit and your thoughts. Pleased you .. read more
Smiling here....because I was stuck on a bridge in Curacao because the pontoon bridge keeper decided it was time for lunch. If I could have "manned the gates" myself, I would have! :) Very cute write. Lydi**

Posted 5 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Chris Shaw

5 Years Ago

So Lydi**, you have had a similar experience and will understand a certain frustration. Fortunately .. read more
i really enjoyed your imagery in this write, very creative and nice

Posted 5 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Chris Shaw

5 Years Ago

Thank you. I always try and work hard on the imagery in my poens. Glad you noticed.

C.. read more
Oh yes, that type of service is very prevalent nowadays, maybe the old lock keeper gave lessons. The old Niagara locks are still inexistence, first canal finished in 1829, although there are newer ones to accommodate the large freighters going up the lakes. Yours is a very apt description of how they work moving boats from one level to another.

Good write, Chris.

Posted 5 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Chris Shaw

5 Years Ago

Thank you Ted. I always enjoy how the locks work. The filling and emptying which enables boaters to .. read more
I would go for lunch too. When I worked in a department store years ago, there was always trouble getting someone to cover lunch breaks. So I'm with the lock keeper.

I enjoy your poetry, Chris. It brightens my day.

Posted 5 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Chris Shaw

5 Years Ago

Many thanks Lea and for that lovely compliment. Much appreciated.

Chris
Lea Sheryn

5 Years Ago

You're welcome, Chris. Always a pleasure.
What a great job and poem, to be a jobs worth on the great canals, clocking off at canal checking in times, lol

Posted 5 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Chris Shaw

5 Years Ago

Thanks gram for your visit.

Chris
sometimes I wish you would take a picture of your portraits not that your portraits aren't pictures but i would like to see some of these scenes here we have giant locks with these 20 foot doors i"m not sure what sort of contraption sluice gates are but im curious now:) love the ending made me chuckle!

Posted 5 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Chris Shaw

5 Years Ago

Dear Bunny, I have never posted images, mainly because I want the words to be read and for pictures .. read more

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Added on July 17, 2019
Last Updated on July 17, 2019

Author

Chris Shaw
Chris Shaw

Berkshire, United Kingdom



About
Albert, my paternal grandfather introduced me to Tennyson when I was nine. I have loved poetry ever since but did not attempt writing a single piece until I was 40. It's never too late to try somethin.. more..

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