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Mining Poetry by Joel Tankersley
Suitable for Framing 
Never Falter - Never Fail
Hear the echo from the collar, from the portal comes the call.
The terror of a mining camp, this one grips us all.
There is fire in the mountain, the dragon comes from Hell.
Those who rise to meet him, Never Falter, Never Fail.
Team Captain, we ought to go home fishing, skip this nonsense, cast our line.
This makes no difference; we don't need the overtime.
Come on Cap' it's Saturday, let's not piss the day away.
Something made him quiver, he turned to me to say . . .
Kid, listen to this story, it's not new or old.
It's a small group of hands that stand out from the fold.
They have a common thread, eyes a different gleam.
From different lives and functions, they are members of a team.
Members of a team, Mine Rescue is its name.
Though it sounds romantic, it ain't no parlor game.
The work is hot and dirty, it is the Devils dreams.
In the smoke and darkness, nothings what it seems.
It can be confusing, under every stress.
Every step that's made, another brutal test.
It's work that flat repeats its self, thankless say some.
Training for a mission, they hope will never come.
A hope that is eternal, history bears that stripe.
They train for a single miner, that's banging on a pipe.
They train for his children , the tears that's in their eyes.
Mother, wife and father, they have to hear their cries.
Kid, this isn't about a trophy, it ain't coats or overtime;
it's our Honor and commitment, to those who work the mine.
So we're not going fishing, them lives are not for sale.
That miner is our brother. Never Falter, Never Fail.
Copyright Joel Tankersley
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