Coal mining is a deadly occupation. Many men have died in the mines while digging coal out of the ground. Explosions of deadly methane gas have occurred many times over the years. When I was very young our coal mining community lost over thirty men to an explosion in the Robina Mine in Green County, Pennsylvania. It was a sad day for all of us. Yet men still go down into the mine shafts every day bringing out the coal. The painting was done by a coal miner who rose through the ranks to become head of the Mine Workers Union. He was a poet and a painter. Check out his work at the end of this poem.
Coal Miner’s Fate
Digging in the dark dusty earth
Coming home every day
Covered in black dust head to toe
Only to turn around and do it all again
Spending a lifetime digging in the earth
Only to spend an eternity there as well
Lost forever in the dust and methane
That explosion sealed his fate
Never again to be found
Dust to dust and ashes to ashes
But, then again we all knew
It was just a matter of time
Tomorrow we’ll do it all over again
Is the money worth the pain?
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Painting by John Minnich “Jock” Wilson aka. The Coal Miners Poet
Check out his Facebook Page and poetry….
https://www.facebook.com/Coal-Miners-Poet-John-Minnich-Jock-Wilson-140043169429492/
