Tribute to The Men of The Deeps.

(from an ex-coal miner).



As I hear these miners singing of their days spent underground,
My mind begins recalling, their words are so profound,
Their belting out a tune like each word was truly meant,
Men of coal, to sing like this, it's surely heaven sent.

Then I visualise the dust as it's carried in the air,
I begin to cough and choke the memory's so severe,
And the darkness that surrounds you in the belly of a mine,
Is once again remembered as the men sing, all in time.

These men who sing so proudly of working in coal mines,
Help me recall the memories of those oft forgotten times,
My heart it swells with pride as I hear the choir sing,
I wish I could repay them, for all the joy they bring.

I remember too the friends, we worked with side by side,
Some no longer with us, sadly they have died,
But the memories that are stirred by this choir from afar,
Will last another lifetime, they deserve a special star.

So I thank you, men of coal, men who sing about the pit,
For thoughts that are aroused, I enjoyed it, every bit,
You are singing for all miners' , and for those who've gone for keeps,
May we always hear this choir, named, The Men of The Deeps.




W. H. Riley. 2001.





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To Read more about this wonderful choir.Visit The Men of The Deeps web site.

Click here.The Men of The Deeps web site.


John C. O’Donnell is Professor and retired Chair of the Department of Music at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. He holds degrees in music from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and the University of London (England) Kings College. In London he studied musicology under Professor Thurston Dart. For most of the past thirty-five years "Jack" O'Donnell has been involved as musical director of Cape Breton's choir The Men of the Deeps.

Click here to visit "Jack" O'Donnell's web site.