Figuring it out at 6 + 5 (Exploitation by numbers)

Posted on by celfypridd

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When I was 6 there were 10. (Translation when I was 6 years old there were 10 pits in our valley)

Now that I am 6 + 5 there are none. (Translation now that I am 65 there are none)

I say there were 10 but some relics still remained

Let’s say 4 but there may have been more

But now I am 6 + 5 there is none.

When I was 10 + 5 there were 31 (Translation when I was 15  there were 31 men killed in the Cambrian disaster)

a class room emptied and the children

of fathers dead underground gone.

A year later and the children were gone too

and an empty classroom except for 1 or 2.

Then they were gone.

When I was 10 + 6 there were 144 (Translation when I was 16 years old 116 children and 28 adults were killed in Aberfan)

then they were gone.

When I was 10 + 6 I was nearly gone

Almost drowned by my own body.

When I was 10 + 9 I was gone to another place

away from here where I could breathe.

When I was 3 + 2 I returned and there were 2 (Translation only 2 mines in the valley)

But now there are none.

When I was 3 + 5 – 1 came back again (Translation when I was 35 the Tower colliery was re-opened)

But now that 1 has gone too

And now there are none again.

Before I was born 0 there were 75 (Translation there were 75 pits in the Rhondda Valley)

Now there are none 0.

 

We were brought here because

of what we could take out for them.

And when that was gone we were left.

We took out what was here for others to sell

to build their big houses and then

they were gone and all that is left of them

is their collection of pictures from France

and the sprawl of the tips and heaps of course.

So we were left bye bye pictures

for us to look at and feel better,

feel inspired and aspire to better things.

But for so long we paid to get in and feel

grateful for being helped to feel better. Bye Bye.

Rivers ran black and skies spat black too

Trees died or were cut to prop up the earth.

Exploitation and devastation of an ecosystem.

Exploitation and the human wreckage left.

Thank you for leaving us so much. Bye Bye.

 

1801 – 542 (Translation population of the Rhondda Valley)

1861 – 3035 (Translation ditto)

1901 – 113735 (Translation ditto)

1911 – 162729 (Translation ditto)

 

164356 casualty of miners. (Translation this does not include non-mining casualties like infant mortality etc)

 

I don’t like looking back to 0 zero

I don’t like looking forward to 0 zero

I look at what’s in between

But mostly now when I am 6 + 5

Its what’s left to do that matters to me

And now what’s left? We are left. Right?

For my children

Posted on by celfypridd

For my children.

 

For we are kings

And walk the land

With our long handled spades.

We are kings

And look at the day

With our eyes open.

 

For we are kings

And look to others

As they are the same.

 

We look at the day

With open eyes

And our heads held high.

We see all things

And walk the land

With our long handled spades.

 

And when people try

to demean us

And speak ill of us

We know the words of the psalm

We know the words of the king

Who spoke to his God in despair.

 

“Blessed is he that considereth the poor

And he shall be blessed upon this earth.

And thou will not deliver him unto his enemies.

The Lord will preserve him alive,

And he shall be blessed upon the earth.

And thou will not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.”

 

Psalm 41.