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A Coal Miner

James Vincient Johnson 1952 (Algoma WV)

A Coal Miner

Early to rise to face the under world
Hours lived alone surely to miss pearls
Only entrances for the brave and daring
Whether seam or shaft, once inside staring

A team with work in their hearts
Dedicated and never without thoughts of joy
Many following in their fathers foot steps
With dusty smiles protected by Union Reps

Deep, deep and tunneling like ants
To make a decent wage to pay rents
God-fearing countrymen planted like seeds
Company stores ensuring family needs

Inside dark and dusty caves with every breath
Lungs of steel soon wearing down in health
Out today without a glitch
Tomorrow is another hitch.

James Vincient Johnson

Copyright © 2007 James Vincient Johnson

About this poem

The Coal Miner's life.

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Submitted by brojvj52 on January 13, 2024

37 sec read
2

Quick analysis:

Scheme X XXAA XXBB XXCC XXDD E E
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 697
Words 125
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 1, 4, 4, 4, 4, 1, 1
Full analysis for A Coal Miner »

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    "A Coal Miner" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/178590/a-coal-miner>.

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