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*Help preserve Coal Country Memories
***A COAL MINERS OBSESSION***
FOR HIS CHILDREN TO HAVE IT BETTER
THAN HE TO MY FATHER WAS AN OBSESSION HIS GOALS WERE SET PRIOR TO THE DAYS OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION BEFORE HE LEFT THE FLATWOODS OF CLAY COUNTY KENTUCKY
DADS NEWFOUND UTOPIA WAS A SECTION
OF THE COMMONWEALTH SURRONDED
BY MOUNTAIN RANGE ON THE HEADWATERS OF THE CUMBERLAND NESTLED IN THE SHADOWS OF THE APPALACHIAN CHAIN IN BEAUTIFUL HARLAN COUNTY
COAL MINING WAS DADS PROFESSION
THE PAY WAS POOR, THE DAYS WERE LONG HE LEFT FOR WORK BEFORE THE BREAK OF DAY WE WERE ASLEEP WHEN HE CAME HOME FROM THE PITS BENEATH THE HILLS OF HARLAN COUNTY
DADS CASTLE WAS A COAL CAMP HOUSE
THAT DIDNT INCLUDE A BATH IF LISTED BY A REALTOR WOULD PROBABLY READ FOUR ROOMS AND A PATH IN BEAUTIFUL HARLAN COUNTY
HARD TIMES AND SNAKE STATEMENTS
WERE THE WAY OF LIFE WHERE DID DADDYS MONEY GO FOR PINTO BEANS, FLOUR THAT CAME IN PRINTED SACKS FROM WHICH MOMMY MADE OUR CLOTHES WHEN I WAS GROWING UP IN HARLAN COUNTY
****IM NOT LIKELY TO FORGET***
I WAS BORN IN THE COAL FIELDS OF EASTERN APPALACHIA.I GREW UP IN THE BLACK MOUNTAIN CHAIN. BORN THE SON OF A COAL MINER AND IM PROUD OF IT.
AS I AM THE COAL DUST NOW FLOWING THROUGH MY VEINS.
IM NOT LIKELY TO FORGET THE WAY MY DADDY MADE HIS LIVING DIGGING COAL IN THOSE EAST KENTUCKY HILLS OR THE COAL CAMP HOUSE, COMPANY STORE, THE BISCUITS AND THE GRAVY AND THOSE PINTO BEANS WE ATE MOST EVERY MEAL.
I GOT MY SCHOOLOING IN A ONE ROOM SCHOOL HOUSE. IN THAT ONE ROOM I FINISHED EIGHT GRADES I ATTENDED CLASSES WEARING HOME MADE FASHIONS
FLOWER SACK FROCKS MY MOMMY MADE.
I REMEMBER LIVING IN AN EAST KENTUCKY MANSION. BETTER KNOWN AS A COAL CAMP HOUSE AS A LITTLE BOY I ENVIED THE FOLKS WHO LIVED NEXT DOOR THEY LIVED IN A BIGGER ONE, HAD FOUR ROOMS AND A PATH
I REMEMBER THE GOOD OLE DAYS BACK HOME IN HARLAN COUNTY WHEN WE GRUBBED A HILLSIDE FARM TO SUBSIDIZE
THE TWO DAYS A WEEK MY DADDY WORKED THE COAL MINE SURE MADE IT HARD TO SURVIVE.
IM NOT LIKELY TO FORGET THE WAY MY DADDY MADE HIS LIVING DIGGING COAL IN THOSE EAST KENTUCKY HILLS OR THE COAL CAMP HOUS COMPANYSTORE, THE BISCUITS AND GRAVY, AND THOSE PINTO BEANS WE ATE MOST EVERY MEAL.*************************************************
***SCOTIA MINE DISASTER***
ONE DAY FIFTEEN TWO DAYS LATER ELEVEN. FOR THE GRIM TOTAL OF TWENTY SIX MEN YOUNG AND OLD. THEIR PROFESSION DIGGING COAL
ALL LOST THEIR LIVES WITHIN A WEEK
WHOS TO BLAME FOR THE SUFFERING
AND THE PAIN BROUGHT ON BY THIS DISASTER AT BLUE DIAMONDS SCOTIA MINE.
TODAY THEY CAME TO SEAL THE PIT
WITH ELEVEN MEN INSIDE OF IT.
I WATCHED AS SAD FACES WENT TO
AND FRO. THE FATHERS THE SONS
THE MOTHERS THE WIVES FRIENDS OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES. SHED A MILLION TEARDROPS AT BLUE DIAMONDS SCOTIA MINE.
AN OLD MAN STANDING ALONG SIDE OF
ME WIPED A TEAR FROM HIS CHEEK
TURNED TO ME AND SAID, SON IM
GETTING OLD. AND GOD KNOWS IVE DUG MY SHARE OF COAL PART OF WHICH I DUG RIGHT HERE IN SCOTIA MINE.
SON HE SAID SOMEWHERE DOWN THERE IN THAT TOMB WHERE GAS REPLACED THE AIR LIES MY FIRST BORN. A BOY WHO MEANT THIS WORLD TO ME.SINCE THE DAY HE STARTED WORKING IVE BEEN AFRAID, SOMETHING TOLD ME HE WAS DIGGING HIS OWN GRAVEFROM THE FIRST DAY HE DUG COAL IN SCOTIA MINE.
I CAN REMEMBER TIMES DOWN THERE
I CHOKED AND GASPED FOR AIR
THE TIMES I WALKED HAND IN HAND WITH DEATH.MY GOD WHY WAS I SPARED.IT SHOULD BE ME NOT HIM DOWN THERE HE WAS PLANNING FOR A FUTUREI WAS MAKING PLANS TO REST
SUDDENLY IT WAS OVER. I WAS AWAKENED WITH A JERK. THE LITTLE WIFE WAS SAYING BOB ITS TIME TO GOT TO WORK. IS IT ALL RIGHT IF I DRIVE YOU TO THE MINE.I DIDNT TELL HER ABOUT THE DREAM OR HOW FRIGHTENING AND REALISTIC IT SEEMED OR THAT I HAD GONE TO BED WITH SCOTIA ON MY MIND.
