Mining the Depths

Poetry sometimes creeps up out of dark places. In the case of Carbondale poet David Bond, the verses literally came from underground.

With 17 years to his name working at a coal mine warehouse, Bond is intimately aware of the toils and troubles of miners. His poems reflect the quiet dignity of this shrinking breed of southern Illinoisans and, with language that is both forceful and wistful, depict the pained nobility of the men and women who do this murderous job.

The author of two books and winner of several awards, Bond keeps grounded while working at Southern Illinois University by publishing poems in literary magazines and – he notes with good humor – winning second place in WBEZ's "Why I Should Be Poet Laureate of Illinois" contest.

Bonus Material

The Tipple (Ars Poetica)

Robert

Coal

American Chicken, For Ken

Related Links

Explore the storied history of coal in southern Illinois by watching Greg Boozell's " Invisible Hand," a documentary about the impact of the waning coal industry on a small Illinois town.

Learn about Illinois' current Poet Laureate, Kevin Stein, and the famous versifiers whom he follows.