Reminders.
Rain washed to fresh Cornish air
still smellsl of historic unfairness.
Hinterland littered with shafts,
now leveled, age -old flat lodes
make for visitors much pleasure
as unrushed they enjoy the stroll.
Beauty abounds, yet tourists
who see through pit walls hear
sounds of past youth trapped in
earth-falls and gripped fast in fear.
Paths used in heaving carts heavy
with mine-waste, boys' backs bound
with thick ropes these worked-out pits
leave little ghosts of those lost thousands
who met bitter ends when children, unfitted
for mining, fell within hell's blackened mouth.
Heartache discolours a land's
heritage when sad child abuse
of bal-maidens and young lads
add reminders of shifts' ruthless
length while tired almost to death
shoe-less torn feet stumbled home
with but a pittance, eyes half closed
bent to breadless tables children slept
often still clothed before starting again.
Hard those days when the rich grew
fat on young backs of martyred poor.
-
Author:
Fay Slimm. (
Offline) - Published: September 15th, 2019 03:45
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 18
Offline)
Comments5
Those mines were nothing like we see portrayed in Poldark on TV. Many were beneath the sea and cave ins meant flooding and drownings. Also there were the poisonous metals with leeched into the body killing many in mysterious deaths causes then unknown to science.
My family name eminates from St Buryans in the far west of Cornwall. There's tin in my blood. Who knows how many of my family line endured what you describe.
Harsh lives recounted in your piece today. A tribute to Cornwall's mining heritage. Accompanying the landscape which proudly bares the scars of mining with prominent engine houses visible for miles. A walk around the remains at St Just was quite an education for me back in the 70's.
Very enjoyable read.
Yes indeed D A - the mines in the early twentieth century were dangerous places and according to our local poet John Harris of that era to get down to tin level needed 20 ladders each 70 feet long - bare feet had to cling on hard to avoid slipping - and he as a young lad did that every day........ coming up after working long shifts was such effort that men and boys had to sit on surface to get breath back again......... lung problems were frequent and metals were deadly.......... I know the areas of St. Buyan and St. Just very well.......... Many thanks my friend for your generous in-put to broaden the view of mining for tin.........
Excellent reminder Fay
Sadly the scars of our past that should keep us in check have just moved hi tech and they continue without shame
Very true Andrew the scars of past labour in mines should ever remain in our minds whether hu tech or not....... thank you so much for this comment,
Good write Fay.
Thank you Orchi.
My great, great grandfather was a captain... I always thought of a ship... only much more recently did I realise twas of a Devonshire/Cornish tin mine....
my son recently inherited a brooch that contains all the original silver initially extracted ..
Hard times indeed.....
What an amazing discovery that your ancestors were miners Nev............. captain of mines had a demanding job and often were drawn into decisions on who needed work most..........
Those times were so hard that we have no real idea except through what we have been told but those hard times are still with us but the forms are now so refined that they may not be seen until it is too late.
Wonderful words Fay.
To be able to comment and rate this poem, you must be registered. Register here or if you are already registered, login here.