I live in the mines

I don't know where I was born
but I am sure not far from jharia
the dark face you stare at was not always dark
the stains of blood and dust on my legs were once missing
since the day I gained consciousness I have been living here
my mother my father my siblings all reside here
the youngest one of we five is still a baby
and keeps crying on the coal pile
the other two comfort him while the third one helps me
we don't have to go to school like other kids in Dhanbad
we were chosen to work and earn a living
the more we work the more we earn
the dust the dirt doesn't bother me
the cough the white patches don't warn me
we don't eat chicken or mutton slurry
we eat rice with runny chilly curry
two times a day is more than enough
think of Raju who lives in the neighbouring shack
doesn't even get two meals a day
his younger sister already died of hunger
our family atleast will never be out of food
our family will continue living
as long as we keep living in the coal mines