Dubliners - The Sick Note lyrics

Dear Sir, I write this note to you to tell you of me plight And at the time of writing, I am not a pretty sight; My body is all black and blue, my face a d**hly gray And I write this note to say why Paddy's not at work today While working on the fourteenth floor some bricks I had to clear; Now, to throw them down from such a height was not a good idea The foreman wasn't very pleased, he beeing an awkward sod He said I'd have to cart them down the ladders in me hod Now, clearing all these bricks by hand it was so very slow So I hoisted up a barrel and secured the rope below But in me haste to do the job I was to blind to see That a barrelful of building bricks was heavier than me So when I untied the rope the barrel fell like lead And clinging tightly to the rope I started up instead Well, I shot up like a rocket till to my dismay I found That halfway up I met the bloody barrel comming down Well, the barrel broke me shoulder as to the ground it sped And when I reached the top I banged the pully with my head Well, I clung on tight through numbed shock from this almighty blow And the barrel spilled out half the bricks fourteen floors below Now, when these bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor I then outweighed the barrel and so started down once more; Still clinging tightly to the rope, I sped towards the ground And I landed on the brocken bricks that were all scattered round Well, I lay there groaning on the ground, I thougth I'd pa**ed the worst When the barrel hit the pully-wheel and then the bottom burst Well, a shower of bricks rained down on me, I hadn't got a hope As I lay there moaning on the ground, I let go of the bloody rope The barrel than being heavier, it started down once more And landed right across me, as I lay upon the floor Well, it broke three ribs and my left arm and I can only say That I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not a work today