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.