Going Down Below

Cherry

By Rhiannonw

Thu, 18 Apr 2019
  • 2266 reads
9 comments
 

Deep shafts,
black gold,
dark collier shifts,
bread earned –
hard labour,
dirt and dust,
and danger –
work together,
help your neighbour,
share his fears
with faith and trust,
and hope the engineers
research and test
with skill and care
the machine that enables
the flow of air,
and the stresses and strains
in the rocks, and cables
that winch up the cage
from the deep dark shaft
at the end of each
daily shift.

This was written, at request, for the Thanksgiving Service for a dear very elderly man who had had a working life as a skilful and dedicated mining engineer, though when asked of his occupation he would simply say ‘A miner’. I remembered Ewan’s writing on a colliery disaster in the 19th century, and thought it good to remember those who worked hard to improve and keep safety in industry.

Certificate U
Poem
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Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

We should always remember those men who risked their lives. I'm glad you wrote this poem Rhiannon, it reminded me of my uncle Idris who worked down the mines for most of his life, though I don't remember much about him, he died when I was very young. 

A tribute to this man with skills.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jenny. I felt it is easy to forget the men who worked hard and carefully to get and keep the miners more safe, but also to remember those who went down to earn bread for their families even though there were dangers, and they knew this life has its limits. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Even without the danger, to work all day cramped up in the dark in a small place, must have taken such strength of mind! And to be the one responsible for so many, always worrying that you have done everything right, must have been a weight of its own.

The short lines made me think of a mine shaft "share his fears" is a brilliant line

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Di. I expect many had to do it, to provide for their families anyway. But not for the claustrophobic.

I suppose that reponsibility for others in any form, has to not worry, but be faithful in your work, and have faith too, for you can only pray help to do your best. Like motherhood! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you for the cherries. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by hilary west on

Hi,

Not only did they work for next to nothing, but conditions down a mine were awful. It is nice you have remembered them, Rhiannon. There is an essay by George Orwell called I think 'Down the mine' which makes it plain just how bad it is down there. Maybe you have read it ! If not I can recommend it.

Hilary   smiley

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Hilar.  I wanted to recognise though those who did work with all their might and dedication to improve conditions, and keep an eye on conditions, and of course the wages of miners probably did improve after Orwell's time too, though still not an occupation many would like. This man would have been working as a miining engineer in the 1950s to 80s I would think. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

It's incredible what these men and boys did each day, the risks and conditions, it must have been the comradarie that gone them through it and faith and trust as you say. The elderly man as an engineer had a huge responsibility but saw himself as a miner just as his colleagues were. It's so important to collect stories from these men before its too late.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jane. There have been moving stories from those caught up in disasters also, and the cameraderie and also the dawning of faith and prayer for whether they be rescued or die. The Chilean mining accident and rescue after 2 months was amazing, but there have been many stories from long ago I think, and of course quite young people involved. Rhiannon