DRILLING

the derricks.
the twisting drill steel.
the dance of labor.
on the drill deck floor.
calls out to me.
they ran two, twelve-hour shifts.
the endless cadence.
tha-thump...tha-thump...tha thump.
as the drill steel twists and turns.
these were hughes bits.
A-grade carbon-diamond bits.
the hardest known to man.
patented by howard hughes.
they got stuck anyway.
we acidized holes.
used tv cameras to see our dilemnas.
there were blowouts.
injuries.
deaths.
we climbed.
crawled.
sweat.
lugged.
never any rest.
the work was non-stop.
for leather men.
with calloused hands.
all absorbed.
in the tasks at hand.
we were part of the machine.
the game was played.
in heat.
in cold.
in desperation.
my heart was hardened.
like case hardened steel.
then it was lost.
on these drill decks.
these derricks of steel.
in smoky bar rooms.
between legs of whores.
oh, to find comfort.
in whiskey.
and speed.
and so much more.
then nightmarish sleep.
it was never enough.
'til the next shift.
sometimes two in a row.
in search of black gold.
in some texas town.
and dreams which never came true.
the memories,
and scars,
are the only bounty,
that remains.