A West Virginia Sky

by debbylyn   Jan 18, 2007


Beneath a West Virginia sky
There lies a blackened heart
Miles below the mountain tops
A miner's day will start

The ashen dawn does linger
'Til noon sun bends the day
Veiled in soot his trek begins
Continuing the fray

Descent through earthy caverns
Home's a dark abyss
Ebony veins the target
His pick axe will not miss

Black vault echoes a ballad
Refrain from the mountain soul
Back bent toiling for wages
Life spent mining for coal

Ascending once more to the surface
A prayer of relief and a sigh,
His grave will wait for tomorrow
Beneath a West Virginia sky.

*This is in memory of my two Papaws, both West Virginia coal miners.

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  • 6 years ago

    by anand singh

    Beautifully penned.

  • 16 years ago

    by Pete

    Well, I won't claim to know anything about West Virginia or coal mining. But the poem itself is wonderfully written. Full of really intense images and wonderful use of metaphors. Even though I know nothing of either of the two things within the poem, I can still see myself there.

    Flawless flow as per usual, this hums along at a melodic pace.

    Really nice work Debs.

    ~Pete.

  • 16 years ago

    by Cindy

    Deb
    Congrats on this piece being chosen for featured writers of the week in R.T.V.W.
    Excellent job!
    Love Cindy

  • 16 years ago

    by Daisy if you do

    Debbie,
    I thought for sure that I had already commented on this, but I knew I had read it. This is such an amazing write, I related so much to it. My Daddy and my papa jaybird were both coal miners. They lived in W. Va. and lived in Kermit, which is real close to Berwind. I loved this write and it flooded so many memories of the stories I had heard growing up as a teen.

  • 16 years ago

    by Jenni Marie

    This is beautiful....Despite being relatively short, you managed to put in so much depth, emotion and imagery. a very beautiful and elegant tribute.

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