Markham 1938 - Walking Home

On May 10th 1938 79 miners lost their lives and 40 were seriously injured in an explosion at Markham Colliery in Derbyshire. This poem is dedicated to them.

The photo is of the ongoing "Walking Together" memorial representing each of the 106 miners killed in 1938, in an explosion in 1937 and in the overwind disaster of 1973 (see here for my poem about that)

Walking Home

A long day working in the pit
Knowing that we've done our bit
Cough and spit, cough and spit
As we are walking home

We're tired but we've done our job
We've done it all for just five bob
Don't cry, my children, don't you sob
'Cos we are walking home

Blackened like the dark of night
A bath waits by the warm fire light
Once that's done we'll feel alright
When we've done walking home

Seems ages since I've eaten owt
It's like sandpaper on me throat
A beer or two'll get me vote
But we're still walking home

Just one spark; that's all it took
All the mine and village shook
We escaped by pure blind luck
Now we are walking home

Where are Herbert and his lads?
All those kids without their dads
It's well beyond just feeling sad
'Cos they're not walking home

Choked by firedamp, blown to bits;
Burnt and charred in a fiery blitz
It's enough to make you lose your wits
But we're still walking home

Thinking of our brothers, lost,
into their fate casually tossed
By owners that don't know the cost
For they are driving home

Their mining life came to an end
Husband, father, brother, friend
And now their weary way they wend
Forever walking home

Tim Fellows May 10th 2018