Coal lyrics

Born from life long made extinct

Once swamps, centers of progress

The passage of time and pressures

And the sun's radiant energy within

A black fossiled, often shining stone

Combustible, with such intense heat

In days ago in a world back then

Came those winter months there

The odor of coal familiar, burned

And it filled the pungent icy air

Some might have said a stench

It bears an aroma now of memory

The holidays then were e'er warm

When family got together rare

The shoots and bins ready full

And black dust lined the cellars

When men brought scoops too

To stoke the fond fiery furnaces

Though no diamonds come forth

From seams of this rock strata

Created before life appeared here

More men have prayed for coal

When cinders and clinkers remain

Beneath grey and jaundiced skies

Today, no more is the odor there

No trucks or scoops e'er scraping

Cinders on the iced over roadways

Skies are much bluer in the sun

But memories even dank are rich

And nostalgia overlooks the faults