When I Think of Bridges
The 2nd Narrows Bridge (above), while under construction, collapsed in 1958
hear the premiere by the Vancouver Chamber Choir (Nov. 2007) below
1) Poetry in Bridges
2) Abridgement
3) Katie
4) I Drove a Milk Wagon
5) Roughnecks in the Trade
6) Death Warrant
7) Young Engineer
8) Measurements
9) Industry Standards
10) The Day Was So Blue
11) When I Think of Bridges
Vancouver Chamber Choir
Larry Nickel's Home Page
When I Think of Bridges – lyrics
Inspired by and freely adapted from the poetry of Gary Geddes (with permission)
Poetry in Bridges
There’s poetry in bridges, poetry in bridges.
Over, crossing over.
A bridge can do what a metaphor does,
carrying people from one shore to another.
Skyscrapers make no sense, except as real estate.
Bridges are different; a marriage of beauty and utility.
Who gives a care about those cages downtown?
Bridges speak of belonging, bringing people together.
Abridgement
A bridge is a happy ending, right?
Everything hunky-dory, tickety-boo.
A bridge is a happy ending, right?
Everything hunky-dory.
Traffic moving smoothly along in both directions,
Speeding along at 70 clicks, oblivious to history.
A bridge is a happy ending, right?
Everything hunky-dory, tickety-boo.
A bridge is a happy ending, right?
Wrong!
Katie
Closer and closer together.
There was a girl who worked on the food floor at Woodwards.
She was studying art at UBC and Katie was her name.
I drove Katie to North Vancouver one weekend
and I showed her how progress was coming along
on the Second Narrows Bridge.
Two sides inching closer and closer.
two sides growing closer.
She spoke of a painting on a ceiling in Rome;
a sort of a pointing match
where a whole lot of energy crosses over
between the outstretched fingers of God and Adam.
“Sounds to me like sparks from the arc welder.”
“and for that you deserve a kiss.”
Two sides growing closer and closer.
I Drove a Milk Wagon
I drove a milk wagon for two years or more;
it was all I could get at the end of the war.
Listening for music of hooves on the road.
It’s a good thing my horse knew the places to go.
I met an old buddy from the ironwork trade
in a tavern on Granville where fresh beer is made.
He made me an offer too good to ignore,
so I put down my milk cans and left for the shore.
Seconds Narrows was a turning point for me,
so I put down my milk cans and left for the sea.
Roughneck in the Trade
Roughnecks in the trade,
Roughnecks in the trade.
Family men who lived in town,
floaters came from miles around
and greenhorn immigrants.
Crawler hook booming down for the pickup,
counterweight inching slowly backwards,
shifting the distribution,
set steel in place and bingo! Bob’s your uncle!
Connector bungs the bolts in the hole,
hot wrench gives it a twist and a turn and kiss me Julia!
I don’t care where a man comes from;
floater, immigrant, local chum
as long as he can set the steel
and catch a red hot rivet between his teeth!
Tssssss!
Death Warrant
My own three children taught me how to read and write;
though all you needed was an “X” to sign your death warrant.
Young Engineer
How does a young engineer make an impression?
How does a young engineer make an impression?
when all the rules are in place and
everything is done according to Hoyle?
Think of a way to save.
Think of a way of saving time!
Think of a way to save.
Think of a way of saving money!
Then the boss will take you for dinner.
Then Mr. Hoyle will take you for dinner.
Measurements
Wood, rope, stone, steel.
Wood, rope, stone, steel.
and not always in that order.
Height, 210 feet.
and length, 4250 feet.
Width, six lanes, 80 feet.
What about clearance? 145 feet.
Made with steel, 17,000 tons.
and concrete, 80,000 cubic yards
Fill with half a million cubic yards.
Dead men, 27.
Ain’t she something?
Industry Standards
I want to tell you about “falseworks”.
Two temporary structures
that take the weight of advancing spans
during construction
and are removed when the two sections have been joined.
Professor Hrenikoff’s definitive publication
indicated that the vertical support columns were
below industry standards.
The Day Was So Blue
Katie and me in a small café,
sipping wine and making small talk.
Blue,
Lord, the day was so blue.
The sky was a currency that even the poor could count on.
Praises,
all the birds singing praises.
Who could imagine a tragedy on such a beautiful day?
We were sitting in a small café down the road from B.C. sugar,
Crosby crooning on the radio, when the first ambulance came screaming by.
Blue,
Lord, the day was so blue.
Who could imagine a tragedy on such a beautiful day?
When I Think of Bridges lyrics – Larry Nickel
I’m crossing over.
When I think of bridges I see the great divide
between eternal wisdom and my own foolish pride
that was mended, forgiven, through love and sacrifice.
I am crossing over on the road to Paradise.