After the city settles to sleep, nocturnal creatures rev up their engines

Load up the loaders and roll growling into town like giant yellow beetles

With age, load and capacity they crawl, roaring and rumbling through streets

lined by sleeping shacks, dark towering apartment blocks and heavy night air

Spreading from queues at entry points into suburbs and side streets, sniffing out

the building sites, taking over the streets, racing against each other and the clock

Off loading ton upon ton of metal reinforcement, glass and bricks and stones

And carrying away the heavy damp soil dug out of deep foundations

They crawl with loads and rush back for more, faster and faster as the citizens

Drift deeper into dreams and the street lights grow pale with exhaustion

With the first hint of sunlight they rush for the exits, abandoning the streets

to morning walkers, sleepy street sweepers and the smell of waking tea shops