Up before break of day
Feathers of frost dusting panes
Down to the rolling mill
Big John works 12 hours a day
Stoking the black furnace
Filled with hell’s hot flames
He swings his scoop and stops-
a silver sliver of light
is falling at his feet
From 30 feet up
above the roaring din
a piece of blue sky
Peeks thru corrugated tin
The beam of light
Sparkling thru coal dust
Opens a web of memories---
A meadow with a million sunflowers
Under clear bluebird skies
The laughing glowing face of his bride
Soft green grass by forest stream
Day flowing into cold winter night
They wrap in a blanket and make love
Beneath a million shimmering stars
The memories close when
The mill whistle blows
With heavy boots and misty eye
Big John walks home
Under the gloam
Of a cold grey sky
*dedicated to the memory of Henry Birton
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