Yesterday at Westray

Yesterday at Westray
Into the deep, they trudged along.
‘To feed their families, they must be strong.
A decent wage is all they desired.
A place to work until they retired.
Retired they did in a tragic way,
On that cold and unforgettable day.
They knew, and were told; the mine was unsafe.
But profit trumped. There was no good faith.
Many hearts did break that sad, empty day.
The pain for many will always stay.
Fatherless children will wonder why,
They have only photos on which to rely.
Did they know what was happening before it blew?
Was there fear in their hearts because they knew?
Was there time to pray or try to escape,
When Curragh Industries their lives did rape?
T’he agony still hurts the heart.
Twenty – six lives for change to start.
It’s been twenty five years of healing they say,
Why does it still seem like yesterday?
– Dawn Peters April  2016