The dark was all-pervading with barely breath or sound

No place to be for vermin, less colliers underground.

They haunched beside the ripping lip, their cap lamps set to ‘dim’

And waited till the Chargie spoke, so soft and low and grim.

‘It’s here they say they’ve seen him glowing in the dark,

Floating outbye 7’s, his tortured face so stark.

He curses at his comrades as through the dust they crawl;

He swears that they abandoned him beneath that heavy fall.’

The lad with false bravado snorted in his snap

‘An old wives’ tale and if it’s true’ he said, ‘I’ll eat my cap’.

The Chargie stared in silence and with all the calm he had

He turned to his old Ripper and bid him, ‘Tell the lad.

You’ve seen him here yourself.” The ripper lifted up his head.

He shivered, hoiked and spat his phlegm, and this is what he said.

“The dark was all-pervading with barely breath or sound

No place to be for vermin, less colliers underground.

They haunched beside the ripping lip, their cap lamps set to ‘dim’

And waited till the Chargie spoke, so soft and low and grim.

‘It’s here they say they’ve seen him glowing in the dark,

Floating outbye 7’s, his tortured face so stark.

He curses at his comrades as through the dust they crawl;

He swears that they abandoned him beneath that heavy fall.’

The lad with false bravado snorted in his snap

‘An old wives’ tale and if it’s true’ he said, ‘I’ll eat my cap’.”

The Chargie stared in silence and with all the calm he had

He turned to his old ripper and bid him, ‘Tell the lad.

You’ve seen him here yourself.” The ripper lifted up his head.

He shivered, hoiked and spat his phlegm, and this is what he said.

“The dark was all-pervading with barely breath or sound

No place to be for vermin, less colliers underground.

They haunched beside the ripping lip, their cap lamps set to ‘dim’

And waited till the Chargie spoke, so soft and low and grim.

‘It’s here they say they’ve seen him glowing in the dark,

Floating outbye 7’s, his tortured face so stark.

He curses at his comrades as through the dust they crawl;

He swears that they abandoned him beneath that heavy fall.’

The lad with false bravado snorted in his snap

‘An old wives’ tale and if it’s true’ he said, ‘I’ll eat my cap’.

                     The Chargie stared in silence and with all the calm he had

He turned to his old Ripper and bid him, ‘Tell the lad.

You’ve seen him here yourself.” The ripper lifted up his head.

He shivered, hoiked and spat his phlegm, and this is what he said........”