I cannot measure the rocks that I gather My load another man's stack I labour hard on the live long day Before the man and before the clock But let me first continue the verse Night and day Night on night Bury my head Bow me down Until the chorus is turned out And the chased thought from a dream Is real and revealed And running is coming to an end There is nothing so sweet As the rarest find The ways it sets unique On the hand of every man And the way it sets On the palm of a woman I cannot measure the rocks that I gather My load another man's stack I labour hard on the live long day Before man and before the clock My work puts dirt and soot under my finger nails And a fine dusting on all of my skin's surface Yes I am changed by its ways My labour hurts The work for what it is worth A finer place for mining souls I mine gold in coal mines The flavour would be recognised as The rarest kind And recognised as a symbol of hope In difficult times All times are difficult My smoke will speak of pain and pleasure The way toward the centre Work hard Choose fast Make it last Don't waste time A finer place For mining souls I mine gold In coal mines There is nothing so sweet As the rarest find The ways it sets unique On the hand of every man And the way it sets On the palm of a woman