Introduction

All the themes for the poems, if they qualify to be called that, in this collection are based on real people and events that have taken place. The names of those people involved have remained unchanged in order to cause them the maximum degree of embarrassment in the hope that they will share in my sense of humour. In the unlikely event of anybody, particularly my friends, reading theses poems I would be pleased if our friendship could continue.

Any reference to persons living, dead or otherwise is purely intentional.

Most of the poems are based on personal experiences and observations of life with some ideas derived from the experiences of others. I would like to extend my gratitude to all those people, friends or otherwise, who don’t know that I’ve written about them and hope they won’t find out until after my retirement.

It is felt that we are at a stage in our social evolution where by some of the present generation and most of future generations will be unaware of the atrocious conditions under which their fore fathers had to work in the coalmines and to a slightly lesser extent in the iron and steel industries.

It is to this end that I have included such reference in several of the poems.

I would also like to extend my thanks to Mark Jefferies, without whose sense of humour, continued encouragement and support I may not have continued to complete this collection.

Terry Harding