In darkness, the old miner stood
by the window, looked out over
the savaged valley, burdened
deep with tailings and spoil – 
the headwaters of Barren Creek
buried. It was bad enough
in the time the old bosses
raided this place, but when
Wall Street came, the change
was forever. The mountains
descended into the valleys,
broken, like he was in the long-
wall days, like his home place
is now.