On top of everything, I like your work, 
Patient, deep, hard working, 
you search with great courage
in the secret of the earth.  
Firm and dark, 
like a gentlemen in a dark suit, 
you enter this black grand palace
from the long corridor and down the creaking staircase, 
as the beams turn
like a galant play:
the pick is your partner. 
The orchestra is playing heavily;
the trolleys are flowing without ceasing. 
And at the end you come out 
tired, drunk, pale and dirty;
you come out from the long dazzling festival
in which you have undressed
the rich lady that dominates you.
You feel more poor than before. 
Because you take and you give. 
The world awaits your gift:
for the Life. 
For this the grand rivalry is born 
the Death
awaiting you. You are not only the gentlemen 
in the dark suit
that is waiting his turn for a dance,
the prodigal that provides. 
You’re a strong athlete, you’re the gladiator
you’re not scared of any danger 
that enters into the arena 
to fight the enemy. 
Your weapon is a pick. 
Everyday you enter into 
the black world like the eternal night,
to bring your contribution to life
against Death. 
And you come out tired, drunk; 
drunk from the joy for life
that every day has given you another chance
like you give yours to the world. 
You are good and strong. 
For this 
above everything else, I like your work. 

The above poem is the English translation of the original Italian poem. The translation was written by Mila Ottavini, with the aid of Marta Ottavini and Ugo Tomassini.

The writer of this poem is Antonio Ottavini, and is captured in this original photo.

He was born on the 2nd of October 1937 and passed away on the 4th of August 1995.