Lyrics by F1sk, follow him! @f1sk Production by Artistic Intelligence Ninth song from Rusted Mercy's album, "Things we lost", which you can find here: https://suno.com/playlist/dea66a29-e3ba-4788-8ca0-edf50f73316a The song tells the harsh reality of mining through the eyes of a man who sacrificed his youth and health to support his family. Despite respiratory illnesses and the deaths of colleagues, he continues to work to ensure a better future for his loved ones. The song explores themes of sacrifice, resistance and the knowledge that the price of this fight is high. The protagonist hopes that his son will not face the same fate. ### Mi start di job young, barely reach sixteen Dem seh "Pick up di tool, it clean, it green" Mi did waan help mama, food haffi reach So mi dive inna di hole like di sea haffi breach Every day mi dig, sweat like di sun Pickaxe echo like gunshot run Breath get tight, but mi smile same way Cyaan show weakness when yuh feedin' whole bay Dust like snow pon mi chest plate thick Cough till blood, but mi still don’t quit Dem call it “work,” mi call it “grave wid door” But mi keep goin' 'cause mi cyah be poor Ash in my lungs and pain in my bones Years of labor carved into stone He gave his youth, his soul, his breath For a family’s life, he walked to death Mi youth done vanish down tunnel long time Mi face grey out like di coal an grime Mi likkle bwoy ask, "Papa why yuh wheeze?" Mi seh, “Son, dis di cost when yuh life nuh ease” Mi bredren dem drop, one by one Silica kill faster dan any man gun Dem bury dem fast, cyaan stop di line New man tek position like it jus design Mi beg fi doctor, dem seh “Tek dis pill” But pill cyaan undo years mi did drill Mi woman pack up, tears pon di floor She cyaan watch mi rot one day more Ash in my lungs and pain in my bones Years of labor carved into stone He gave his youth, his soul, his breath For a family’s life, he walked to death All now... mi spirit still down deh Somewhere inna di mine, locked in a breath Mi name nah write pon statue or wall But mi blood stain di dirt where di strongman fall Mi cyaan even cry, tear duct dry Mi dreams get crush like di stone mi pry But mi hope seh mi son tek a different route No pickaxe, no shovel, no blacked-out truth Mi foot dem slow, chest a burn Mi nah reach fifty, life tek turn But if yuh hear mi voice inna di dark cave ring Know seh mi did fight fi di likkle mi bring Ash inna mi lungs, pain inna mi bone Years a hard work carve mi like stone Mi give up mi youth, mi soul, mi breath Fi di life a mi family, mi walk to death Ash inna mi lungs, pain inna mi bone Years a hard work carve mi like stone Mi give up mi youth, mi soul, mi breath Fi di life a mi family, mi walk to death Ash inna mi lungs, pain inna mi bone Years a hard work carve mi like stone Mi give up mi youth, mi soul, mi breath Fi di life a mi family, mi walk to death
