billy was born within sight of the shipyard first son of a riveter s son and billy was raised as the ship grew a shadow her great hull would blot out the light of the sun and six days a week he would watch his poor father a working man live like a slave he d drink every night and he d dream of a future of money he never would save and billy would cry when he thought of the future soon came a day when the bottle was broken they launched the great ship out to sea he felt he d been left on a desolate shore to a future he desperately wanted to flee what else was there for a shipbuilder s son a new ship to be built new work to be done one day he dreamed of the ship in the world it would carry his father and he to a place they would never be found to a place far away from this town trapped in the cage of the skeleton ship all the workmen suspended like flies caught in the flare of acetylene light a working man works till the industry dies and billy would cry when he thought of the future then what they call an industrial accident crushed those it couldn t forgive they brought billy s father back home in an ambulance a brass watch a cheque maybe three weeks to live and what else was there for a riveter s son a new ship to be built new work to be done  that night he dreamed of the ship in the world it would carry his father and he to a place they could never be found to a place far away from this town a newcastle ship without coals they would sail to the island of souls1