John Harrison’s Hands

Cold falls the night
Cold rolls the ocean
And colder blows the breath of fate
That sends the roaring gale
The stars give their light
For duty or devotion
But a sailor's heart needs more than prayer
When eye and compass fail
And more than hope to guide his lonely sail

By sea and land John Harrison's hands
Made sure for ever more
That sailors could find longitude
To bring them safe ashore

Your work was long
Your days were driven
You knew that you could build a clock
To marry space and time
But your one great wrong
Was never forgiven -
For to be better than your betters
Was worse than any crime
And their envy was a hill you would not climb

By sea and land John Harrison's hands
Made sure for ever more
That sailors could find longitude
To bring them safe ashore

And the prize of thirty thousand pounds
Was more than just a prize
It was dignity and justice
Over bitterness and lies -
And the longer they denied you
Attacked you and decried you
The more you saw the weakness in their eyes

How many lives
How many talents
Were tainted by the poisoned well
Of power from which they drank?
But the wind that drives
The bold topgallants
Was harnessed by a man with
Neither privilege nor rank
And the sailor lads, they knew, and gave their thanks