upper Big Branch Mine Disaster

Upper Big Branch Mine

40

On the last day of his life
The miner
Did what he always did
He got up at dawn.

Had coffee
Ate at the local diner
The “coal miner’s special”
Coffee, bacon, eggs,
Grits, pancakes.

Gearing up for a long day
Just like his dad had taught him
For he was a third-generation miner

Then he went to work
Entering the Upper Big Branch Mine
Not knowing that today.

Was the day
Of the big disaster
That would soon take his life.

The Christian owner of the mine
Typically cut corners
Not caring for the life
Of the workers,

Who after all
Are just labor units
Disposable in the end.

The Christian owners
Just don’t see them
The miners
As human beings.

After the many disasters
The mine owners
Invested in robots.

Fewer deaths
Fewer lawsuits
More money for the owner
Not so much
For the labor units.


New Prompt:

On Instagram, I saw images of the Prince and Princess of Wales, who visited Aberfan (Wales). In 1966 a Mining-disaster struck this town, which took the lifes of 116 children and 28 adults, as a school was covered by milestone debt, due to the bad weather they had.

Your mission:

Choose a US-Mining disaster. (it has to be one out of history, not a fictive one that did not take place). The Mining Disaster chosen is going to be your title.

Information about mining disasters in history can be found here: https://arlweb.msha.gov/MSHAINFO/FactSheets/MSHAFCT8.htm
Write your story or poem out from the viewpoint of: (choose one)

1: a miner
2: a rescue worker