The coal miner descends
into the mine much like
his father and his father’s father
it’s his way of life.
Into the mine much like
the others, he goes into darkness
it’s his way of life
as they carve into mountains.
With the others he goes into darkness
far below a world of light
and they carve into mountains
as he finds veins of coal.
Far below a world of light
the dust he breathes coats his lungs
as he finds veins of coal
to be taken away.
The dust he breathes coats his lungs
as he gives his life for bounties
to be taken away
like dreams that fade as a child.
As he gives his life for bounties
his wife’s heart yearns for a better life
like dreams that fade as a child
but her visions take wing
His wife’s heart yearns for a better life
far beyond mine shafts and scarred hills
but her visions take wing
as the coal miner descends.
Categories:
coal miner, family, father, work,
Form: Free verse
There goes the water where we find all the fish
There goes the earth where we grow all the food
There goes an ideological wish
Another tenet of Darwin, misconstrued
China Syndrome
Melting and melting into the ground
China Syndrome
Burning and burning all the way down
There goes a coal miner trying to help
Another sad soldier with soot on his face
There goes an agency that must mean well
They've sent back his remains in a six-foot case
There goes a forest gone belly-up
There goes a species without a bed
The sun won't shine, the winter won't let up
Fallout bakes the fields that once gave bread
China Syndrome…
There goes the water where we find all the fish
There goes the earth where we grow all the food
There goes an ideological wish
Another child of Darwin, torn from the brood
Categories:
coal miner, abuse, america, environment, farewell,
Form: Elegy
My gramps was a long-staunch Baptist of the sort S.B.C.,
Until his local congregation got beholden to the R.N.C.
Gramps was a hoot – on a Friday he joined the K.K.K.,
Saturday, he quit because it wasn’t a branch of the Y.M.C.A.
Afterwards, he feared a knock on his door from the C.I.A.
Would negate all his years working with the B.S. of A.
Gramps continued his strong support for the N.A.A.C.P.
But said he was canceling his membership in the B.B.B.
He was a coal miner, but Gramps never joined the A.F. of L.
It was years before he learned the union was not a U.R.L.
Categories:
coal miner, character, grandfather, humor,
Form: Couplet
Your vibrant smile
haunts me every now and then
Sashaying strut like a peacock
is how I remember you
How come I recall only good things about you?
In my present condition,
I'm morbidly disaffected
Clear blue skies look to be dull grayish
In my pond of friends,
I thrash about like a dying goldfish
Ever since we split,
we remain a gossip item
The loss of your personal connection
has filled me with such disaffection
I loathe sleep,
being awake zombies me
Trundling off to work each day
in a coal miner way
So dark,
deep down in the tunnel
of my heart
Three weeks without a shave,
hollow nights of delta blues lullabies
in a den of flashing neon lights
Disaffection
has taken hold of me
Remembering your last words;
they rattle around in my head,
trapped in the throes of misery
Categories:
coal miner, angst, heartbroken, love hurts,
Form: Free verse
day in the life of a coal miner
in the darkness you hear them
their boots clumping along the cobbled stones
not dawn yet ...yet still they are on their way to work
young lads of 15 plus.
these are miners sons
following the traditions
each generation go down the pit
twelve long hours
twelve hours in the dark and dust
twelve hours shovelling the coal
hewn by their elders.
horses are used to pull the trams along
eight hours they work....
young lads work longer.
their little food tins....tiny tins..
a chunk of bread if lucky a dripping sandwich
a bottle of water completed the feast.
they stumble on that cobbled road to home
tired and weary, hopefully a hot bath awaits them
in front of the fire.
nearly too tired to eat the meagre food set out
falling asleep dreaming of sunshine and fun
reality such a different story.
penned 18 May 2016
Audio Below
Categories:
coal miner, life,
Form: Verse
The teacher dies having made her small contribution
to the colonization of other planets by motivating
a boy who would otherwise be a coal miner to become
a rocket engineer.
Throughout the nation teachers
are sending their prize pupils through the funnel
flask to produce technology from pure science.
The mother and father are good, disciplined, god-
fearing people who stand firm against dissolution
and chaos. They hold their clod of soil in place
and others do the same to create the landscape
of community.
Communities across the nation
and the world produce the many to support the few
who make the tools and do the math to colonize
the planets. Once the secret of warp speed is
discovered, expansion of the species is
limitless.
Perhaps it is not a direct contribution
to destiny, yet some stories may be told
for centuries.
It takes constantly renewed
consciousness to persevere, retell the stories
and interpret lessons. You go, girl.
Categories:
coal miner, care, community, father, god,
Form: Free verse
ONE PAIR OF HANDS
"Make it your ambition...to work with your hands". 1 Thessalonians 4:11
My dad was a coal miner,
Worked with his hands all day.
As evening came, he took time,
To fold those hands and pray.
A pick and shovel were the tools,
16 tons for his pay.
Calloused hands gave this service,
It is the miner's way.
A family to feed, clothe and guide,
A home where we gathered with love.
That's how it is in Windber, PA,
With guidance from above.
He taught me how to prune a tree,
To mow the lawn and such.
Landscaping and trim the hedge,
It really was not much.
Your hands, he would say,
Are guided by God's Son.
He healed the sick, raised the dead,
Christ is the special one.
He raised His hands in prayer,
Loaves and fishes He did serve.
Broke bread and served the wine,
More than we deserve.
These hands nailed to a tree,
An innocent man condemned.
They bled as He asked His Father,
Please bring it to an end.
One day we will be with Him,
In glorious heaven lands.
Please find a place for your servant,
Look at these working hands.
RAYMOND V. MORGAN
Categories:
coal miner, christian, faith, heaven, religious,
Form: Prose Poetry
the mines of death the miners knew,
black in the face the workers too,
too many years of underground,
sweat for the masters' dollar go round,
and death got paid his due,
good ol coal miner, you!
in blackness never found,
coal covered in the mound,
awaiting till,
resurrection,
dill ...
re: Black Diamond Night Poet ~ Destroyer...
Don
Categories:
coal miner, adventure, death, death,
Form: Rhyme
From sun up to sun down, they worked all day,
but down in that hole they always slaved,
light from a lantern, is all they had,
and quitting time really made them glad.
Coal dust covered them from head to toe,
and year after year it hurt them so.
No other jobs could be found back then,
Sons, and fathers, enemy, and friend.
Safety standards were not the best back then,
time was the enemy of the coal miner men.
Cave-in's were common in that cold wet tomb,
where they spent their days, surrounded by gloom.
Times have changed, things are better today,
but still they are in danger, no matter how safe.
Categories:
coal miner, father, health, life, people,
Form: Narrative
In the hills of West Virginia, at a log house he called home,
Is where grandpa spent so many years, though other places he did roam.
He was a country man at heart, and seemed a man before his time.
He would study books for hours, yet no mountain he can't climb.
He'd been a farmer, and coal miner, and a secret service agent too.
He loved his bible and his garden, never once did he seem blue.
Open-minded, and religious, he had views that few could see;
And even though i was a youngster, he would spend much time with me.
He was old, and wise, and feeble. Saw much life before he died.
When i heard that he had passed away, i just hung my head and cried.
Categories:
coal miner, childhood, death, family, introspection,
Form: Rhyme
Coal mines in my daddy's day,
Were dug with strong hands and back
They got larger and deeper,
As the lungs of the miners turned black
Cave-ins, fires and explosions,
Were my father’s daily fear.
But what choice has a man
When the wolf of hunger is near.
With three small kids and a wife,
There were five stomachs to fill
As we lived in poverty,
In our shack below a hill.
I feel his blood within me,
As the years of my life pass by,
I'm proud that dad dug King Cole,
For a miner so am I.
Life to me is but a rose,
Though it's thorns can make me cry.
And like my dad before me,
To my Lord I will not lie.
In cold earth someday I’ll sleep,
With a shinny stone above.
Carved in it, shall be the words,
"I have known the joy of love."
Categories:
coal miner, love, dad, dad, me,
Form: Rhyme
A man with few fears.
A man willing to give for what he can receive.
Hard at work to earn his pay.
Trying to make a decent living for his family and he.
A heavy leather belt strapped firmly around his waist.
The light on his hat to lead the way.
Covered in blackened dust;
in a hole cut deep into the earth.
A most dangerous job,
but also eerily peaceful.
A dream in the depths of darkness,
lit by a single beam.
A Coal Miner fit to be a king;
one with many ambitions and dreams.
A Coal Miner that is loved by many,
and many by he.
Dirty, Sweaty and Tired;
I don't care,
Please bring him home safe to me!
Categories:
coal miner, family, inspirational, on work
Form: I do not know?
A man with few fears.
A man willing to give for what he can receive.
Hard at work to earn his pay.
Trying to make a decent living for his family and he.
A heavy leather belt strapped firmly around his waist.
The light on his hat to lead the way.
Covered in blackened dust;
in a hole cut deep into the earth.
A most dangerous job,
but also eerily peaceful,
A dream in the depths of darkness,
lit by a single beam.
A Coal Miner fit to be a king;
one with many ambitions and dreams.
A Coal Miner that is loved by many ,
and many by he.
Dirty, Sweaty and Tired;
I don't care,
Please bring him home safe to me!
Categories:
coal miner, devotion, on work and
Form: I do not know?