Coal and Snow Shoveling

Down in the coal mine dad shoveled the coal
Then often came home and shoveled the snow
Sometimes I shoveled coal on top of the soil
But dad under the ground many years did toil.

If snow was deep and wind blew up a storm
Missing school those times was often the norm
But dad went to work if he could possibly get there
And I shoveled snow paths trying to do my share.

Not ever to school would I volunteer to just go
If I could escape going because of the snow
And never from work would dad stay home
Unless in his mind there was no way of going.

Written by Harvey A. Bond
January 23, 2008