Brace the Mitre in the Flood

[Intro] [Verse 1] Dusk lays rust across the lock I hear the mitre seal give way Black water claws the stonework seam The gate begins to bow and shake [Chorus] Hold that crank—hold the line The river’s coming through the steel Towboat waiting downstream Dispatcher says we’ll refill By schedule, by schedule While the water eats the wheel [Verse 2] The manual arm bucks in my hands A tooth jumps hard against the chain I wedge my shoulder to the spokes And feel the current take the frame [Chorus] Hold that crank—hold the line The river’s coming through the steel Towboat waiting downstream Dispatcher says we’ll refill By schedule, by schedule While the water eats the wheel [Guitar solo] [Bridge] You can read the gauge from your desk You can mark the minutes clean But i’m braced against the floodgate With the river in between [Chorus] Hold that crank—hold the line The river’s coming through the steel Towboat waiting downstream Dispatcher says we’ll refill By schedule, by schedule I’m the hand that holds the wheel