User:Arthur croker

THE COAL MINER

DEEP UNDERGROUND BREATHING RANCID AIR STRIPPED TO THE WAIST WITH OUR CHEST LAID BARE TWELVE HOUR SHIFTS EACH AND EVERY DAY DOWN IN THIS HELL HOLE WE HAD TO STAY

WE HEAVED AND SHOVELLED TO MOVE THE COAL IN THESE CRAMPTED CONDITIONED WE WORKED LIKE A MOLE HUNDREDS OF FEET BELOW THE GROUND WITH NOTHING BUT BLACKNESS ALL AROUND

YOU COULD HEAR THE BIRD SINGING ALL DAY LONG OUR LIVES DEPENDED UPON THAT CONTINIOUS SONG SHOULD THEY EVER STOP THEN WE’D KNOW THEY WERE DEAD IT WAS A SILENCE EVERY MINER HAD COME TO DREAD

GAS IN THE MINE WAS THE CRY YOU’D HEAR THOSE DESPERATE WORDS THAT BROUGHT INSTANT FEAR NO TIME TO STOP AND THINK OF OTHERS YOU SCRAMBLED OUT LEAVING FATHERS AND BROTHERS

UP TO THE SURFACE AND IN THE FRASH AIR THEN LOOKING AROUND TO CHECK WHO WAS THERE COUNTING THEM OUT ONE BY ONE THE LONG LONG WAITING HAD JUST BEGUN

AN EXPLOSION RESOUNDED THE MINE WAS ON FIRE WHERE WE HAD JUST BEEN WAS NOW THEIR FUNERAL PYRE OUR FRIENDS AND OUR BROTHERS WOULD NEVER BE FOUND THEY HAD GIVEN THEIR LIVES FOR THE BLACK GOLD THAT LIES DEEP UNDERGROUND

OUR HEARTS WERE FILLED WITH SADNESS AND SORROW BUT WE’D BE BACK DOWN THERE TOMORROW AS OUR FAMILIES NEEDED THE SHILLING A DAY THAT WE COULD EARN DIGGING HUNDREDS OF FEET BELOW THE CLAY

ARTHUR CROKER