Best Collier Poems
Me father was a collier, worked Harton off the coast
Though he rattled from the coal dust he was whiter than a ghost
But the one thing that reviled him in his God-forsaken post
Was the torment of the pit ponies who he'd love and trust the most.
Shetlands worked the low seams, Gallers the big pit
And they toiled in dust and danger in the darkness and the grit
Blinkered up between the limbers, heaving coal, tubs full of it
Were the brave young beasts of burden, all a-frothing at the bit.
And Blackie was a strong 'un, he'd been down since '34
But he earned the lads good bonus so they worked him more and more
Till the weight buckled his legs and he stumbled to the floor
And he just laid there a-panting, all a-choking in his craw.
Ah me Da would bring them sugar and share with them his bait,
Now his mind was torn with fury and his heart was filled with hate
So raging black with anger he made the butchers wait
And he vowed he'd take the pony back up with him in the crate
Then Da's no longer digging, they locked him up you see,
For misappropriating mineowners property,
But you cannot cage a conscience, he'd set the brave one free,
From the bittered, blackened hellhole that had been his slavery..
Now Blackie's in the meadow with horses by his side
When the miners bring their children down he takes them for a ride
And he passes by the pithead and the place he nearly died
And he brays a silent prayer for the others still inside
For the broken, bloodied ponies and the tears yet to be cried
There's torment in them ponies down the mine, Hear me well, lad
There's torment in them ponies down the mine, Hear me well, lad
There's torment in them ponies down the mine.
HEAR ME SING THIS IN CONCERT ON YOUTUBE: 'Louis Spence.Ballard of Blackie'
THANK YOU.
Categories:
collier, me, prayer, uplifting,
Form:
Epic
My Dearest Most Only BeLoved Lenore, I woke up this morning with the warmth of the Sun cascading on my face.The morning Doves singing for YOUR Happiness in Glory.If YOU are reading this on YOUR way to the Pearly Gates to meet me, I won't be there but I ask a boon.Please go to the Door of Heaven for there YOU will find Martin Richard, 8 Years old; Krystle Campbell, 29; Lingzi Lu, I don't know how old she is but she's young and Chinese, which is not a language barrier in Heaven. All three should be joining YOU today,courtesey of the evil ; YOU do not know that thrives here on Earth. that's not all I ask YOU to Salute Officer Sean Collier, 26 he was a victim on the GOOD side for the betterment of man.(If they want they can each have a B O S T O N RedSox Pennent from those I gave YOU to hold FOR me.Tell Them, Their Family Loves them, the Community LOves them, Their Country LOVes Them, Their Leaders LOVEs them, and I'm
sure I and the "SOUPERS" LOVES Them. As for me my LOVE : Maybe Tomorrow.With LOVE for the EONS of Eternity,ALWAYS and FOREVER YOUR Husband Entwined as ONE.
Harry
Dedicated to the Victims of the Marathon Bombings
and the Officer that gave his life trying to Quell the Enemy.
Categories:
collier, bereavement, i love you,
Form:
Free verse
"Pony"
Taken
Lead
By Whisper,
Bit
(LadyLabyrinth / 2020)
"Old Town Road + Pony Mashup"
Lil Nas X Ginuwine Pomplamoose
(Extended Music Video)
https://youtu.be/OTdSOXUT5lM
"My fascination with letting
images repeat and repeat
- or in film's case 'run on' -
manifests my belief
that we spend much of our lives
seeing without observing."
Andy Warhol
1.
"Lady Godiva", 1898, John Collier, artist https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Godiva_(painting)
2.
John Collier, Pre-Raphaelite
http://www.historyofpainters.com/collier.htm
3.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Godiva
4.
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Raphaelite_Brotherhood
Re-uploaded 5.11.2020.
Deleted 28.10.2O20 due to Troll interference.
Originally uploaded on 13.8.2020
Categories:
collier, freedom, journey, muse,
Form:
Free verse
Elizabeth: squat river with cranes, tugs, wharfs abristle,
Its broad, deep-dredged breadth plied by warship and merchant mammoth,
Ships with haughty grandeur gliding along buoyed channel—
Lofty titans sneering down on collier, barge, sloop at sail
And, on fog-bound nights, soothing sleepers with moans baritone.
November 21, 2016
Form-River Line-Poetry Contest
Rick Parise, Sponsor
Categories:
collier, river,
Form:
Verse
The old school bell would ring out at the start of the day.
Chalk on blackboards, shirts and ties.
The school colours of green and gold.
Crowded classrooms, with very little room.
Lunchtimes were spent in classrooms,small and crampt.
No kitchen, the meals brought in.
Meals served up by Mrs May and Mrs Coles.
Dinner ladies Mrs Turner,Mrs Burd and Mrs Bolt.
Four classes, plus one held in the village hall.
My class of thirty seven, tables in long rows side by side.
Janet and John books then Peter and Jane.
Classroom Assemblies were the norm'.
The headmaster Mr Collier strict and stern.
There were very few facilities.
Mrs Bird,Mr Scott,Mrs Collier and young Mss Ball.
And Pre National Curriculum....
The children having separate playtimes.
In the tiny playground, there wasn't much room.!
Outside toilets, cold in winter.
Morning break;children drinking milk out of a bottle with a straw.
The long hot hazy summer days
sports day held in the farmers field across the way.
The three legged race and the egg and spoon.
Children running, jumping, having fun.
And then the important news...
We're soon to have a.... Brand New School !
Categories:
collier, childhood, education, life, nostalgia,
Form:
Blank verse
Tea with Gran,her muffins supreme,
Bath and change and hair brylcreamed.
into town to the pub in the square,
our gang always met there.
Checking the football scores
in the Oxford 'green un'.
Trad jazz with Donegan,Bilk or Collier
or maybe the ballroom bacchanalia.
Skip,hip-hop or jive or more sedately
to the Friday Five.
A swift half of cider in the Bodega bar
sadlynone of us could afford a car.
Dropping a shilling in the snug juke
box,Haley and Elvis,then unorthodox.
Bought tickets for the coming live shows,
Cochrane,Cliff and Shadows.
Later, at the dance the last waltz about
to begin,if you were fancied ,it
showed in her coy grin.
Requesting a date took a little courage,
so glad my choice that day,led
to marriage.
Categories:
collier, nostalgia, places, social, teen,
Form:
Narrative
My British grandparents Thomas and Susan Collier were American original descendants.
they sailed the rough sea for their independence
I believe they came on the mayflower voyage ship and landed in America 1620
I know their dreams for our generation were plenty
my first generation grandparents Thomas and Susan Collier were buried in Hingham Plymouth Massachusetts on this free soil
my grandfather Thomas death was 1647 and his wife Susan was 1667
the bible was American pilgrim law to own land that my family heritage toiled
everyone who came to America doesn't know they rode on the coat tail of our heritage and hard work today
our school used bible that were outlawed, and our new generation couldn't pray
our pilgrim lineage was documented in a bible as a passport
I doubt my Collier bloodline was in a May Flower compact before England's deport
The bible was law in England from 1530 and we dont know if it came to America by the first pilgrims
the natives told me the Spaniards from Columbus in 1492 brought the first bible in America and caused mayhem
Categories:
collier, america,
Form:
Rhyme
I heard our ancestors came on the mayflower boat
sad part there was not a journal or a note
it sounds like a miracle my early grandparents Thomas and Susan Collier landed on Plymouth rock
a vision of their voyage made me feel spooky, haunted and in shock
its futile to prove our first ancestors came here
maybe the government kept us from our powers for making history so dear
my early grandparents Thomas and Susan collier survived the rough seas
and this legacy means a lot to me
all I know is Thomas and Susan Collier died in Plymouth rock somewhere much of our ancestry lineage was in Virginia and then Tennessee from there
I met my kinfolks in Tennessee to learn about me
I saw the grave yards in the forest where my natives are buried
my ancestors lineage was kept in the bible like a passport
our freedom was stronger than England's deport
we were here before the written constitution
we survive and out lived the genocide revolutions
Categories:
collier, america,
Form:
Rhyme
Carrying worn suitcases packed tightly
with meager possessions, lofty dreams,
bringing hearts filled
with longings
for the familiarity of homelands
and family left behind,
they came to America.
Schowengerdt, Rabun, Mazzei,
Erickson, Keeton and Rausch.
RaGusa, Martin, Devries,
Kaplan, Renfro, Czypryzs,
Morrissey, Hartpence, Colbert,
Collier, Roth, Proia and Ward.
They came to America.
Shining through immigrant tears,
Lady Liberty’s freedom torch
beaconed the way to portals of hope.
Beyond ... the future’s golden glow
beckoned the brave to create a new America
molded out of the melting pot of diversity.
They came to America.
Standing hand in hand at Ellis’s shore,
in reverent silence,
hearts bursting with pride,
a hundred mother tongues
with single voice proclaimed
in perfect harmony,
“We are America!”
Categories:
collier, america, immigration, patriotic,
Form:
Free verse
Lost was poor Mathilde, caught between two worlds.
Everything she possessed was inadequate, not even a gown that cost 400 francs
Could satisfy her endless greediness.
Only a necklace that she borrowed from a wealthy friend, only a necklace of
Lust and dear jewels pleased her. Mathilde thought she was forever happy, and
Lost was the necklace after the dance was over.
In return, poor foolish Mathilde spent 10 years returning its cost until she found..
Everything was gone in vain, and the necklace was as fake as she !
Remember my friend, even the most expensive things, will never make you truly
happy..
Categories:
collier, happiness, life, people,
Form:
Acrostic
Tea with Gran,her muffins supreme,
Bath and change and hair brylcreamed.
into town to the pub in the square,
our gang always met there.
Checking the football scores
in the Oxford 'green un'.
Trad jazz with Donegan,Bilk or Collier
or maybe the ballroom bacchanalia.
Skip,hip-hop or jive or more sedately
to the Friday Five.
A swift half of cider in the Bodega bar
sadlynone of us could afford a car.
Dropping a shilling in the snug juke
box,Haley and Elvis,then unorthodox.
Bought tickets for the coming live shows,
Cochrane,Cliff and Shadows.
Later, at the dance the last waltz about
to begin,if you were fancied ,it
showed in her coy grin.
Requesting a date took a little courage,
so glad my choice that day,led
to marriage.
Copyright © Brian Strand | Year Posted 2007
Categories:
collier, nostalgia, youth,
Form:
Rhyme
Oh, What Is Life?
(Written for Kay Collier McLaughlin-With gratitude to Thomas Merton)———
What? What is life?
No concise, assuaging answer comes.
For there are no stepping stones outside
For a clear, examining view...
Except, perhaps, to wander through
Our fertile imaginings, where
Collages may be so composed
By one’s and two’s to fit
Some consequential assorting
Of our senses for a sight of our hearts’
Music; of desired peaceful, tailored reason
And freedom!
Suited to a sigh, softly then...for
.The view may even cause tears to flow.
Dab them then. Dab away. As the collage
Is due for a re-fitting, an alteration of pieces
Day by day. Take strength. We are so blessed.
Our touches, our skills are needed for
One and all altogether as we were blended
In Creation, as our moon walkers saw...Here!
Life is yet the search for truth;
Life is a joining of hopes;
A keeping of nature’s landscapes;
A piecing together of chards;
A mending of the displaced;
A continuous editing of our prayers;
A rejoicing of our souls when we love.
This is a layered collage: in history, in myth,
And space, and time...
An exploring of our souls.
********. *********. *********
(C)sally Young eslinger 12/21/2020
Thanks be to God evermore
Categories:
collier, appreciation, blessing, christian, imagination,
Form:
Free verse
I wonder how things would be if I lived my origin and was apart of my tribe
I wonder what i could learn about my ancestry and how my thought and feelings would vibe
the fruit of knowledge came from my family tree
there is much lost ,stolen, and burned history
my grandfather William Coleman Collier was born olive skinned toned man
through my bloodline our native ancestry were forced to be white or be killed on our land
I know why our country folks lived far hidden in the hills
they lived to have freedom and not be killed.
Categories:
collier, america,
Form:
Rhyme
I wondered what you saw in my sweet Eve;
Love, I did not see in your charming spouse.
Last night sat on my head to spit venom;
Claimed you were good for nothing; down under.
Beggar and a coward, just a crawler:
Obedient pet to my lady divine:
Sure? you ever heard Eve's love torturers,
Naked her touch burns you in her temptation;
Fermenting desire you cannot fulfill.
DNA's don't match so vanish or chill out now.
Apple a day direct from our knowledge tree:
Rare snake's auction? will ensure my net deal;
In a big mansion Eve will live and love
Earning from your oriental display skills:
The original snake of Eden fame?
Get you a nasty black she cobra mate?
You trembling to her fiery kiss of fire;
She spanking you to belly dance for her?
Begging alms on pavements of Mumbai:
Forget the canvas or oil in colors
Don't move or I ship you to the far east:
Picture Prompt:-
"Lilith" by John Collier
Oil on Canvas
Categories:
collier, epic
Form:
Free verse
Hatcher Hollow is old white colonizer's country
my cousin sold me this precious land property
My ancestors lived im Mc Ewen Tn for centuries
my ancestors lived and died in Humphrey county
my people were native on our grandparents William collier and Letha pearl Webb Smith side
I noticed my colliers were black hair blue eyed
i wondered if my people were the Appalachian and part Melungeon
I heard my Smith native people are from Kentucky ,North Carolina region
my people came from many shades of brown in older generation
our culture had to bury this information
the cover ups and broken history wont take away our native pride
I have strong heritage and have nothing to hide
here at Hatcher road there's trees all around me
the road I live on is curvy
there's no wifi and google cant find me
I tolerate living off the grid away from society
I'm up on high grounds to be a hilly billy
I wont drown by rain swamps like in the lower valley
I live not too far from my family graves in Humphrey county
the forest thinned too much that gave my buried ancestor privacy
it looks so different than where i want to be buried
Categories:
collier, culture,
Form:
Rhyme