Nik Samuel Remembers Gran and Getting the Coal In
Just another memory..
Ow, what’s for tea Gran
Bugger tea she’d say
There’s a ton of coal out back
And don’t take all bloody day
Well? Gran would say
I’d go and change into my scruffs
The barrow had a puncher
The shovel was short and worn
I hated getting the coal in
But if I didn’t they’d only bloody moan..
Gran would pitch in too
As long as she had a fag
We’d both be black as midnight
And the dust would make me gag..
Nearly finished now
We swept up all the small
A man came round the corner
He wasn’t very tall
A man who swung a man drill
He too was black as soot
Hard as granite and had that miners look
He tipped he cap
And tipped his fag
And gave me a knowing wink
Then said as only miners do
“How be”
He’d probably dug that coal
In the dark and soaking hell
I tip my cap to him and the miners
All like Sel…
BY NIK SAMUEL
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