Shush, shush go the mothers to the babies
Shush, shush they say and hush them to sleep
Shush, shush go the train wheels on the railways
Shush, shush rumble the sleepers in the deep
Shush, shush go the pistons in the factories
Shush, shush go the Baby sham works
Shush, shush sing the cider in batteries
Shush, shush go the office clerks
Shush, shush goes the town's silence
Gone is the sound of the town's violence
Shush, shush go the copper cables and fibres
Shush, shush goes the telephone exchange
Shush, shush go the flies trapped by spiders
Shush, shush go the tongues sounding strange
Shush, shush go the nuns to their priory
Shush, shush go the shops of the high street
shush, shush go their shuffling feet
Shush, shush go the birds in the briar or tree
Shush, shush go the tides of the shy shifting sea
Shush, shush goes the traffic beneath
Shush, shush say the rocks of the cave
Shush, shush goes the gushing stream
Shush, shush underneath the limestone
Shush, shush where the stalactites dream
"Wake up!" say the road sweepers
"Wake up from your long summer sleep!"
"Wake up!" say the railway workers
Dig on, though the tunnels run deep
Shush, shush go the church towers
Shush, shush go the stained glass windows in pane
Shush, shush go the vases of flowers
Shush, shush goes the church warden in vain
Shush, shush go the leaves in the graveyard
Hush, hush go the mothers to their babes
Shush, shush go the yew trees that stand guard
Over the cradles, sundials and graves
"Come home!" say the wives to the sailors
"I must go!" cry the sea gulls to the planes
"Come back!" cry the lovers to their loved ones
"I am here!" cry the others back again
