Imagine it a family of five
\nAnd no wages coming in
\nNo government help
\nNo aid at all
\nAnd already they all are thin<\/p>\n
The only work is hazardous work
\nGold mining day on day
\nUnderwater I forgot that point
\nFor thats the only way<\/p>\n
Along the precious gold coast
\nIn the Philippines today
\nA father and his children
\nHave to try and pay<\/p>\n
A deep hole into the river
\nA plastic tube for air
\nWind it around your body
\nAnd its in your mouth
\nBe aware <\/p>\n
any kink or piece of mud
\nCould block the airway and
\nThat would be the end of you
\nAs All now understand<\/p>\n
Drop thirty feet
\nAnd start to dig the mud and rock below
\nAnd bring it up and pan for it
\nLook for that golden glow<\/p>\n
Working in those tunnels
\nTapping bits away
\nIf the lot fell in on you
\nThere really is no way<\/p>\n
Of escaping what would be horrible
\nEngulfed in mud and slime
\nAnd this is what they are doing
\nYes time after time<\/p>\n
Then panning for the fragments
\nAnd using mercury
\nAs a glue to stick the fragments
\nTogether so they see<\/p>\n
Bigger bits to sell to those
\nWho buy it and then sell
\nThats why they call it dirty
\nIts, as dangerous as hell<\/p>\n
They cannot go to school at all
\nWhen there is money to be made
\nJust enough to feed the family
\nAfter it is weighed<\/p>\n
Their makeshift rig of bamboo
\nAnd palm leaves holds the shaft
\nIts very very dangerous
\nAnd altogether daft<\/p>\n
Its known as compressor mining
\nIts illegal thats for sure
\nBut its the only way to eke out a crust
\nAnd of course the actual law<\/p>\n
Turn a blind eye to it all
\nBecause otherwise they might
\nHave to pay for food for them
\nAnd they don’t see that as right<\/p>\n
Looking into their faces
\nTears are their for grabs
\nThey work so hard and so rigorously
\nAnd its earned in dribs and drabs<\/p>\n
Very tiny wages
\nand death could actually be
\nAny day and it happens
\nIt happens tragically<\/p>\n
There but for fortune
\nAny of us could be in a hole
\nSearching for fragments of dirty gold
\nAnd exchanging it for soul<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Imagine it a family of five And no wages coming in No government help No aid at all And already they all are thin The only work is hazardous work Gold mining day on day Underwater I forgot that point … Continue reading