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At 9.15 am on Friday the 21st October 1966, a colliery spoil tip collapsed into many
homes, and the Pantglas Junior School, killing 116 children and 28 adults.
This poem is dedicated to them. May they all Rest In Peace.
ABERFAN
Slag and slurry, the devil incarnate,
robbed a village of lives and didn't abate.
On that early morn, the sun fell from the sky,
a giant black shadow drowned their small cries.
Teachers’ and children fighting for air,
the slag and the slurry laid the school bare.
Completely covered by the river of black,
many souls lost, if we could only go back.
The village would come, with all haste and speed,
digging with hands, miners taking the lead.
Mothers wailing, where is my child?
the black stuff still sliding, a torrent so vile.
The number it took was one forty-four,
if only God had allowed a few hours more.
Half term it would be later that day.
souls that we lost, would have been on their way.
The survivors they numbered one forty-five,
sad and heartbroken, however, alive.
God bless you all, please rest in peace,
never forgotten, our love will not cease.
I WAS BORN IN CAERAU A SMALL MINING VILLAGE AT THE TOP OF THE LLYNFI VALLEY, MAESTEG. MY DAD WAS A MINER, AS WERE ALL MY CLOSE FAMILY.I JOINED THE POLICE SERVICE IN 1967 AND SERVED OVER 30 YEARS, RETIRING AS A DETECTIVE SERGEANT.
AT THE END OF 2015 I BEGAN WRITING POETRY, THE GENRES BEING COAL MINING AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR. IN FEBRUARY 2016 I WROTE A CRIME THRILLER TITLED 'UNETHICAL CONDUCT' WITH THE HELP OF MY NOW CO-AUTHOR NIGEL WILLIAMS.
I NEVER INTENDED WRITING ANOTHER BOOK, IT WAS JUST A BUCKET LIST EFFORT, HOWEVER NIGEL AND I THEN BEGAN WRITING TOGETHER. WE SELF PUBLISHED THE NEXT 8 BOOKS ON AMAZON, DONATING THE ROYALTIES NEARLY £2,000 TO CHARITY.
IN MAY LAST YEAR I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO GET MY POETRY PUBLISHED BY 'WORDCATCHER PUBLISHING' CARDIFF. OWNED BY DAVID NORRINGTON.
AS WEL AS MY POETRY DAVID THEN DECIDED TO RE-PUBLISH ALL OUR BOOKS, GIVING THEM BRAND NEW COVERS, BUT KEEPING THE SAME TITLES, SO THAT READERS WOULDN'T RE-PURCHASE.
THE FIRST BOOK 'UNETHICAL CONDUCT' HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED ON KINDLE AND THE PAPERBACK SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN A FEW WEEKS.
WE HOPE TO RELEASE THE SERIES AT REGULAR INTERVALS.
I HAVE MY OWN POETRY PAGE ON FACEBOOK WHICH IS PUBLIC, SO ANYONE CAN VIEW AND JOIN, THERE ARE OVER 280 POEMS ON THE SITE 'ARTHUR'S POEMS AND ANECDOTES.
NIGEL AND I ALSO HAVE A SEPERATE PAGE FOR THE THRILLERS TITLED 'THE TERRY MCGUIRE THRILLERS' AGAIN A PUBLIC PAGE THAT ANYONE CAN VIEW.