Friday 7 February 2020

Telling Stories



Telling Stories
(Poem composed from conversations with visitors to the National Coal Mining Museum on 5th February, National Story Telling Day)

(1)
Granddad was from Fife,
Miner all his working days,
Mainly in Stoke, though.

Dad escaped in a spitfire
And I live now in Salisbury.

(2)
“Children, whose bag’s this,
And where is your group leader?
That’s it, two by two.”

Crocodile slouching its way
To the coach in neat order.

(3)
Thirteen’s old enough
For the joinery shop:
Time served and ready.

When the kids came, where’s the brass?
From rip saw then to ripper.

(4)
Saturday scrum-halves,
From pit props to prop forwards,
All in the same league.

Come Monday, under the sports’ field,
Players back at their tackle.

(5)
My brothers went down,
Dad, of course, and my uncles.
I went to college.

Gran gave me ten bob each week,
“Just ‘til you’re working.” she’d say.

Dave Alton
(Coalshed Poet)



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