Monday, February 1, 2010

WHAT I REMEMBER

SHAME

The Mine holds dangers
dark and deep
What I remember is the darkness.
The stench of diesel
taking your breath away.
The noise.
The unrelenting noise
which still rings in my ear
to this day.
The danger.
The No 7 orepass
spewing out it's deadly cloud
of dry dust
blinding as you drove through the ribcage.
Rock-bolts, pelican picks and scaling bars.
The unsocible hours.
The long graveyard shifts.
Icicles hanging from the back
in wintertime.
Wind on the decline
which cut to the bone.
I'll never forget
Bud Ditto's words at the interview.
" How hungry are you?
only I was so God damned hungry
I never would have gone in to mining " Bud said
I remember other colleagues too
the ones who survived
some scarred for life
and those who lost their lives.
And all for what.
To have our pensions stolen.
Shame!!
Shame on the company.

4 comments:

Frank said...

Damn good there Michael.
FM.

MichaelSheils said...

Thanks Frank, see you Trim tomorrow night, that's if you're there.

Paul Sheils said...

Good post!!!

MichaelSheils said...

Glad you liked it