The Puddler's Tale
Forge of Despair: A Puddler's Struggle
Lyrics
They neither know of night or day,
Workers in the steel mill are oblivious to the passage of time.
They night and day pour out their thunder,
The workers constantly endure the loud, powerful sounds of their work.
As every ingot rolls away,
As each metal piece is produced, more raw material is continually broken apart.
A dozen more are split asunder.
The hazardous nature of the work leads to frequent accidents and injuries.
There is a sign beside the gate,
A sign indicates the passing of time since a fatal incident.
"Eleven Days" since a man lay dying,
Eleven days have passed since a man's death.
Now every shift brings fear and hate
Work shifts are filled with fear, hatred, and distressed men.
And shaken men in terror crying.
Workers are shaken and express terror during their shifts.
The molten rivers boil away,
The molten metal flows continuously, creating a hellish environment.
A fiery brew hell never equaled.
The intensity of the work is unmatched and contributes to the bosses' profits.
To their profits the bosses pray,
Employers pray for financial success, and materialism is celebrated.
And Mammon sings in his grim cathedral.
Mammon, a representation of greed, is praised in a somber setting.
His attendants join the choir,
Workers reluctantly join the workforce, acknowledging the grim reality.
And heaven help us if we're shirking,
A sense of obligation prevails, and neglecting work is perilous.
Stoke the furnace-altar fire,
Fueling the furnace is akin to a religious offering.
And just be thankful that we're working!
Workers are urged to be grateful for having employment.
Do this, then, charge the hoppers high
Workers are instructed to fill the hoppers to avoid angering the foreman.
Lest you endure the foreman's choler,
Fear of the supervisor's anger motivates compliance with instructions.
Do this, then, drain the tankards dry,
Workers are encouraged to drink and celebrate the pursuit of wealth.
And let us toast the almighty dollar,
A sarcastic toast to the almighty dollar, highlighting the irony of the situation.
That keeps us chained here before the fire
The pursuit of wealth keeps workers bound to the demanding and harsh work environment.
Where heat and noise set the weak a-quaking.
The workplace is characterized by intense heat and noise, causing anxiety.
At the siren's infernal cry,
The loud siren signals a disruptive event in the steel mill.
The open hearth sets the ground to shaking.
The machinery intensifies, causing the ground to shake.
Do this, then, raise the babies high
Workers are advised to cherish their families and bring joy to their children.
And make them shriek with love and laughter!
Encouragement to engage in family life amidst the challenging work conditions.
Do this, then, kiss your woman's eyes
Show affection to loved ones and express joy through singing.
And raise a song unto the rafters!
A call to celebrate life despite the struggles at the steel mill.
Wash the steel mill from your hair,
Remove the physical remnants of the steel mill from personal life.
Heap the table 'till it's breaking,
Enjoy a plentiful meal with family, disregarding the harsh work environment.
'Nor let terror enter there
Keep fear and distress out of the home, creating a sanctuary from workplace challenges.
And in the hearth set the glasses breaking.
Symbolic breaking of glasses in the hearth, perhaps representing defiance or release.
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