Coal Family

w c

Coal Family

 

My family tree has its roots

As workers near coal mines

With their private land bought up

By companies for a dime

 

Some family still work there

At the best job they could get

With a generation or two

Earning coal money for their debt:

 

Coal put food on the table

And was money to fix our teeth

And paid for cars and insurance

With benefits no job could beat

 

Thirty years is a lot of time

To work in one place

And coal has helped my family

Many sooty days

 

Some fear all the coal

May lead to some disease

I cannot respond to that

But know that it might be

 

  • Author: w c (Offline Offline)
  • Published: November 26th, 2018 13:31
  • Category: Unclassified
  • Views: 10
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Comments +

Comments3

  • Tamara Beryl Latham - The Poet

    Wonderfully penned poem whose subject speaks of those who are/were dependent on the coal industry for survival.

    I sincerely enjoyed your words and wish you a long and happy life. 🙂

    • w c

      My Father worked many years in the coal industry. He spent his life providing for his family.

      • Tamara Beryl Latham - The Poet

        w.c. I can appreciate the fact your Dad spent his entire life providing for his family. And I suspect there are safety measures in place now that prevent men from inhaling the coal dust that contributes to black lung. At least I hope so. Take care of yourself. 🙂

        • w c

          Thanks, Tamara. Yes, there are more regulations these days. Dad was not really a coal miner but worked at power plants that used coal to generate electricity. However, at times he had to work in bowl mills where the coal was crushed and readied for burning.

          • Tamara Beryl Latham - The Poet

            Oh, I see. Yet, he compromised himself to put food on the table for his family. That was a Dad to be proud of and I can tell by your words you still do admire him. 🙂

            • w c

              yes, tamara. I love him dearly

              • Tamara Beryl Latham - The Poet

                I'm certain you do. 🙂

              • Goldfinch60

                Good write, here in the UK the coal mining industry has now stopped but our thanks are needed for all those brave souls who mined for it over the past years.

                • w c

                  Thanks, Goldfinch. New technologies (wind, solar) are replacing coal, but there are still many coal powered electric plants.

                • orchidee

                  A fine write w c. We could not find our black cat - it was in the coal cellar at midnight, as the joke goes - Darker than a black cat in a coal cellar at midnight! heehee.

                  • w c

                    Now, that is dark. I can still recall my father coming home covered in coal dust. He worked 12-hour
                    shifts and barely had time to eat before he collapsed into bed.



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