The Caste Iron Manhole Cover

The Caste Iron Manhole Cover                       Seldom doth man stop and stare At the caste iron manhole cover there, Seldom doth he analyze The majesty, which beneath it lies. The pipe work systems vast and long Dark catacombs so precise and strong, Buried deep beneath our feet Extending forth from street to street, Out across the breadth of town Those secret fluids trickle down.   Laser levels carve the pathway Through the walls of solid stone, Shovels scrape and dig with effort Forging hard trajectories home. Digging, digging metal mountains Sweat cascades upon the brow, We lay the pipes in straight formation Precision's satisfaction now.   An Artisan's great work is hidden Lost beneath the earth's grey stone, Appreciation camouflaged in that, The cast iron manhole stands alone. Magnificence unrealized For deep beneath your feet, A subterranean Michelangelo's Sisteen Chapel, lays discreet.   Unsuspected rivers Flowing darkly to the sea In caverns of unwanted waste Quite unbeknown to thee. Vaulting brickwork chambers Which are ancient works of art, Carry oceans of excretement Far from where their journey's start.   With thunder's crash and lightning flash And torrents of cold rain, The road's awash and gutters flow Through roadside grates to drain. Gushing torrents cascade down In waves of flowing might To the storm water system Which promptly swallows it from sight.   Magic, you say ? Nay, nay I say unto you That the drain layers artistry Is unappreciated, that's true ! That the Herculean effort wrought In winning his great fights Is largely lost to all and sundry Who avoid construction sites. They miss the planning and the layout And meticulousness too And the rubber seals which stop the leaks Which really bother you. The massive holes and danger Of being buried in collapse And the wondrous satisfaction Of achieving downhill flows... Perhaps!   Marshalg Apprentice drain layer MHX Beachcroft site and Eastport 19 September 2009

 

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