Miners.

[cornirog]

Traipsing three miles
deep underground in
Whitwick colliery
tasting thick dust

you don’t ignore
each other - the
bloke walking
the opposite way

no avoiding eyes no
play to office politics -
corridors of bickering
no departmental gossip

the roadway just
five foot high
both caplamps
burning tight shafts

of light – brothers in this
hostility you reach
out – shake hands
talk a while on hunches

the heaviness all
around eased in this
moment the
creaking oppressive
weight – lifted.