The bright sun snuffs to darkness and there's a growing smell of earth and rock
As huddled, caged men creak and bang, dropping down the dank mine
Cool air breathes past the shaft’s soaked timber and rot
The revolving beat of steam pumps fades, with their steady churn and whine
Choking whirling pickaxes strike gleaming seams by faltering candlelight
Muscles pouring sweat push ore-laden trucks along tunnels of rusting rails
No longer knowing if their grey-slated homes above have passed from day to night
Gruesome deaths and maiming slowly drip blood on that blasted maze of many tales
Such was the life of the brave menfolk that worked their years down the pits
Close knit community, never living far from a poor soul who’d perished in some sorrow
A shortened life of trauma, pain, illness, stoicism, dazed manliness and grit
Their passions and loves boiled a plenty with no guarantee they’d be here tomorrow
Tender young boys of the flowering mountain dragged to be men in those black, deep hell holes
But now little do tourists know or care, walking, laughing, all safe, taking their selfies on top
Glancing in the museum, the distant echoes of the stories are walked past and no longer told
The bored young boys of today loudly chewing their gum and sitting idly there, drinking their pop
-
Author:
Jeremy Leach (
Offline) - Published: July 14th, 2025 01:29
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 5
- Users favorite of this poem: sorenbarrett
Offline)
Comments3
Although the poem on the surface is sufficiently well constructed it breathes a deeper breath that is submerged below the surface. I see a metaphor as well of hidden lives that go unobserved and latter forgotten, lives full of suffering and danger never seen above ground. This one gets a fave
Thank you, really appreciate that. I feel voices of the past and their struggles aren't acknowledged or thought about enough. And there was a lot hidden from view.
Your poetry is good
It carries deep meaning
Thank you, much appreciated.
A reminder firstly of a job that real men used to do, one of the hardest on the planet and secondly that there are alot of people living their life's without ever being noticed and suffering in silence, nicely expressed and written
Thanks for taking the time, much appreciated.
You are very welcome
To be able to comment and rate this poem, you must be registered. Register here or if you are already registered, login here.