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Whippoorwills and Welding Rods by Fred Voss When I first started in a machine shopI didn’t even know how t use a file“Didn’t anyone teach you how... Continue reading

The Job I Don’t Get Paid For by Fred Voss The machine shop manageris taking the new-hire around the shop showing him the machinesand their operators“This is... Continue reading

Punches Full of Peace by Fred Voss Fist-knockshave replaced handshakesin this machine shopinstead of squeezing palms we hold out fistsand bump knuckles in the airbetween usI guess... Continue reading

Jean Valjean stole that loaf of bread for all of us by Fred Voss These machinists or welders or overhead crane operatorswho voted for Trumpand wave huge... Continue reading

Under Their Sweaty Wings by Fred Voss I have had many fathers between tin wallsonewho told me to lay a crescent wrench across the jaws of a... Continue reading

Beautiful as a picket line under a rising sun        by Fred Voss             “Beautiful!”my Lead Man would exclaim as he... Continue reading

Naked under 10,000-watt lightbulbs by Fred Voss We machinistsare lucky to have our machinesmachine handles we can grab when we are lonely green steel machine sides we... Continue reading

Searching for Each Other’s Souls by Fred Voss Working 10-hour days in this machine shop we put on our COVID-19 pandemic maskslike strangers aboard the Titanicthrown together... Continue reading