He goes deep in the darkness, to help us see light
He sifts through the dirt, to find nuggets so bright
He goes through the earth to find diamonds of worth
But it’s he who is digging with sweat and with girth
His lungs paid the price for the warmth of my home
His back bore the pain, for the comforts I’ve known
Digging and toiling and working away
For treasure not his…just hourly pay
Blackened with soot but bright in the eyes
He digs through the dark for buried surprise
The miner so faithful with shovel and pick
Turns on my world with a switch and a click
So tip of the hat to the men down below
Thanks be to them for the stove oven glow
David Kettler, April 16th 2009
The miner made me think of both gold miners and coal miners. Both the thought of having to go through tons of dirt to find a few flakes of gold and the idea of digging down deep where it’s dark and dangerous for the coal. I like the idea of the miner working and digging for someone else’s treasure, not his own. It seems like an analogy of all the people who work hard for someone else’s profit.
He sifts through the dirt, to find nuggets so bright
He goes through the earth to find diamonds of worth
But it’s he who is digging with sweat and with girth
His lungs paid the price for the warmth of my home
His back bore the pain, for the comforts I’ve known
Digging and toiling and working away
For treasure not his…just hourly pay
Blackened with soot but bright in the eyes
He digs through the dark for buried surprise
The miner so faithful with shovel and pick
Turns on my world with a switch and a click
So tip of the hat to the men down below
Thanks be to them for the stove oven glow
David Kettler, April 16th 2009
The miner made me think of both gold miners and coal miners. Both the thought of having to go through tons of dirt to find a few flakes of gold and the idea of digging down deep where it’s dark and dangerous for the coal. I like the idea of the miner working and digging for someone else’s treasure, not his own. It seems like an analogy of all the people who work hard for someone else’s profit.