Terry Ireland Poet Rhyme

Digging Graves Circa 1955

No mechanical diggers digging
Standard oblong shaped holes
The only effort needed being 
To manipulate the controls.
We dug our graves by hand
And the sweat of our brow
A craft that seems outdated
And no longer any use now.

Each grave was dug to
An Individual coffin’s shape
With an allowance made for
The handles and the rope
No deviation of the sides by
Even the slightest little bit
Ensuring each grave allowed 
An almost snug tailored fit.

Beating down the earth 
To compact the ground
So there was little shrinkage
Of a grave’s earthen mound,
The relaying of the turf
The floral tributes laid
Mourners final thoughts
Carefully displayed

We took pride in our work
Felt each family should expect
Their deceased loved one to be
Sent off with honour and respect.
No, no mechanical diggers 
Just a man’s strength and skill 
And a gathering of the villagers
To show support and goodwill.

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Ilene Bauer December 28, 2023 at 1:26 PM you've said this so well, terry! there was so much that was better in the "old days," it seems... Terry Ireland December 29, 2023 at 12:28 AM My father was the village grave digger ilenen and as a teen i helped with the filling in and finishing off. We took a certain pride in it.

Tom Cunningham December 28, 2023 at 8:37 AM Call me old fashioned but that was a more respectful way of burying people. Nowadays you see a JCB parked up that makes it look like a building site. Progress they call it. Tom Terry Ireland December 29, 2023 at 12:30 AM Life is so rushed now, Tom, and to be honest not many up to the hard labour of digging graves. We were a village so maybe only had to dig 4 or 5 a year, but my dad took so much pride in his work.