A COAL MINER HE HAD ALWAYS BEEN
HE HAD DONE HIS JOB WITH PRIDE
HIS GOLDEN YEARS LIVED TO THE FULLEST
UNTIL THE LORD CALLED AND HE DIED
NOW HE LAY IN A BRONZE METAL BOX
AS FAMILY AND FRIENDS PAID THEIR RESPECT
AND THEN THE GROUP OF MEN ARRIVED
AND DID SOMETHING NO ONE COULD EXPECT
IN OVERALLS CLEANED AND HOLES PATCHED
THEIR BOOTS POLISHED, BEST THEY COULD
HARD HATS, CARBIDE LAMPS EACH ONE HAD
THEY HAD COME TO HONOR AS THEY SHOULD
NOW ONE BY ONE, THEY CAME FORTH
THEIR HEADS BOWED SILENTLY FOR EFFECT
UPON THEIR HEADS WORE THEIR HATS
WITH THEIR LAMPS LIT BRIGHTLY TO REFLECT
YOU COULD HAVE HEARD A SINGLE PIN DROP
IN THAT FUNERAL HOME THAT DAY
AS EACH MAN CHOSE TO HONOR HIS FRIEND
IN HIS OWN SPECIAL UNIQUE WAY
AS EACH STOOD BEFORE THE CASKET
HE RAISED HIS HAND TO HIS BRIM
IN A REMEMBRANCE OF A LIFE ONCE LIVED
HIS CARBIDE LAMP HE SLOWLY DIMMED
NOT A DRY EYE COULD BE SEEN
AS THE LAMPS, THEY FLICKERED OUT
TO COMMEMORATE THE LIFE OF A MAN
WHOSE BODY, ITS SOUL AND SPIRIT WAS WITHOUT
Friday, June 24, 2022