Cranes
I stop for cranes. In my defence, so does Knausgaard: There were few things I found more beautiful than cranes, the skeletal nature of their construction, the steel wires running along the top and bottom of the protruding arm, the enormous hook, the way heavy objects dangled when being slowly transported through the air, the sky that formed a backdrop to this mechanical provisorium. And, with apologies, so did Sibelius in the Kuolema andante. Cranes with cement payloads stop me on the Oliverbahn. They stop me because skyships are worth stopping for. On Monday, the crane atop the Stantec Tower starts to come down. Necks will crane up. While contemplating things above, these words, to the tune of The Lord's Prayer, came to mind. Sure, it creaks. It is a tribute to those who build. Tower farther That art in heaven Yellow'd be thy crane Thou hauled up tonnes Now will be undone And brought to earth sometime around March 11th. Gift us t...