The Railwayman
He worked most of his life on the railway
After doing his stint in the war
Rose to the rank of stationmaster
And never went chasing for more
Took a pride in his work, a railwayman
Tried hard to keep the place neat
Cleaned off the graffiti, kept customers happy
And scraped chewing gum off the seat
A lifelong football supporter
He always believed in fair play
And never was heard to swear at the ref
Even when a bad call was made
With much the same attitude to everyday life
Sometimes you win, or you lose
A regular churchgoer, a family man
With smart suit and well polished shoes
In his spare time he tended his garden
His tomatoes were second to none
Liked a beer or two in the evening
When a hard day’s work was all done
Raised three daughters and, when he retired
He still knew the time of each train
And I suspect in this privatised, self-serving age
We will not see his like again