Sad Reminders
Hinterland littered with shafts,
now covered, old flat lodes
make for summertime pleasure
on Cornish site-seeing strolls.
Paths, hand-stoned make easy
walk-ways but were levelled
for carts heavy with mine waste
when boys, backs rope-bound
heaved rock for mere pittance
to topside from below ground.
Pits leave cries of youngsters
who unfitted for hours
harness-trapped in forced
labour met tragic ends by
thoughtless indifference to
vital child-nourishment.
.
Heartache dis-colours mining
heritage with much bal-maid
and pit-lad abuse that grieves
with sad reminders of ruthless
shift length when weary to death
young feet stumbled homeward
eyes half-closed and foodless
to fall asleep clothed before
pit bell's harsh calling again,
Tough on youth when pits grew
richer on misuse of the poor.
-
Author:
Fay Slimm. (
Offline) - Published: December 12th, 2022 07:13
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 46
- Users favorite of this poem: Doggerel Dave, L. B. Mek
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Comments5
a sad & telling reminder of those days of yore when young lads grew old in the dark .. if indeed they grew old at all ....... penned perfectly Fay x
There are many relics of mines around here and all are now quiet but steeped in sad history where when lads and lassies left daily for work parents never knew if they would return. Conditions were unbelievably dangerous for young and for grown and I had to pen something of what they all went through. Gratitude for your caring review dear Nev....................x
Yes memories there. Good write Fay.
Yes very sad memories dear Orchi. Thanks for your visit and comment.
If it's not tin it was/is gold and sundry other of today's precious metals - in their mining, refining, manufacture, one and all, world wide even today.
Beautifully descriptive and full of compassion, Fay. Thank you.
Yes Dave - - mining for metals worldwide today must still harbour dangers for child or for adult - - but it makes us shudder that back then ladders were apt to become untied and loose then suddenly sway whether youth or experience was barefootingly careful - - - lots in this Cornish village lost children to falls.
Such true words Fay, back in the day nobody cared. (I wonder what has changed?"
Andy
It's shocking to think back
to days when losing a child
was an expected part of life
this reminds me of Elizabeth browning's, 'the cry of the children'
a privilege to read
thanks for sharing dear Fay
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