West Virginia Mine Disaster

Oh say, did you see him, it was early this morning

He passed all your houses on his way to the coal

He was tall, he was slender, and his dark eyes so tender

His occupation was mining, West Virginia his home

It was just before twelve, I was feeding the children

Ben Moseley came running to bring us the news

Number eight is all flooded, many men are in danger

And we don't know their number, but we fear they're all doomed

So I picked up the baby, and I left all the others

To comfort each other and to pray for their own

There's Tommy, fourteen, and there's John not much younger

Their own time soon will be coming to go down the black hole

What will I say to his poor little children?

And what will I tell his dear mother at home?

And what will I say to my heart that's clear broken?

To my heart that's clear broken if my baby is gone?

Now, if I had the money to do more than just feed them

I'd give them good learning, the best could be found

So when they growed up they'd be checkers and weighers

And not spend their life digging in the dark underground

Say, did you see him going, it was early this morning

He passed all your houses on his way to the coal

He was tall, he was slender, and his dark eyes so tender

His occupation was mining, West Virginia his home