I sat in the sun in my garden this morning and read three little words posted on a facebook status...
"He didn't listen"
I immediately knew what this meant - those poor, poor miners who had been trapped underground in a small coal mine in South Wales were not going home...
Last night I read the prayers and thoughts of many who were close to the tragedy and one from an old class mate who was 'calling in a favour from the big man!' He didn't listen...
I'm an optimist by nature and expected to wake up this morning to news of a rescue.
I haven't turned on the TV - I now don't want to know the details.
I didn't personally know anyone involved, but I know the communities and villages around the mine.
Names of places that sing off the tongue - Cilybebyll, Pontardawe, Cwmtwrch, Ystradgynlais....
Places that the school bus chugged through on the trip from home up the valley to Ystalyfera.
That valley will be a sad place today.
"There's a cry in the valleys, tears in the West
Mourning the heroes that wear the pit vest.
Underground grafters always put in a shift
below the hillside in the deep dark drift.
They're not coming home to their children, their wives,
The mine once again takes cherished lives.
The coalfields of Britain all unite and mourn,
We're all the same breed,
We're pit village born."
My thoughts and condolences to all involved.
Mewn cydymdeimlad,
It's very sad. Terrible for families, friends and their communities.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely beautiful
ReplyDeleteTerrible tragedy. Very, very sad. I thought your post was so moving.
ReplyDeleteOh my, Beth. That is haunting. J x
ReplyDeleteOh god Beth. Tears are welling in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteFeeling similar thoughts here too Beth. Even when you live far away the news of a tragedy in your home land hits hard.
ReplyDeleteVery sad, Beth. My thoughts go out to those miners' families.
ReplyDeleteWhat a thoughtful post, my thoughts are with those families and communities that have been affected by this.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for the bad news in your home country...and I know how it makes your heart wrench when you can relate so well to the community involved...I felt the same way with the recent QLD floods...it doesn't matter how settled you are where ever you live...home is always home! Robx
ReplyDeleteBeth, I would post this in Welsh but if you remember me so well from school, I couldn't be bothered with my mother tonge then either (despite it being a Welsh school)! I've read hundreds of posts on FB from people all around the world and kept thinking...."but you didn't know them" and those posts meant nothing to me. I'm glad that my honest thoughts inspired you to think back to the Homeland, your post really picked me up at a bad time. Tonight, I should have been playing darts with two of the boys that we lost and re-reading this has helped me.
ReplyDeleteDiolch yn fawr, cariad xxx
Flipo
Hi Beth, sorry I am late to this post. It is terribly sad, such a few people worked in this mine, it will be devastating to the community. It will be hard for you too being so far away and feeling for your fellow countrymen. It is a lovely post. Thankyou. Love Linda x
ReplyDelete