I scream red . . . for a secret passage to air: Willow Grove Mine cries out in a poem in the aftermath of a gaseous explosion that claimed the lives of 72 coal miners, devastating a community in Southeastern Ohio for decades. Jonathan Graham includes this poem in his 140-page hybrid lyric memoir of Appalachia.
Inspired by a dream in which his deceased father tunnels his way to him from the tomb of Willow Grove, the author recounts being raised in an ethnic enclave of immigrant Slovak coal miners, several of whom, including two uncles, lost their lives in the mining catastrophe. Elegiac and focused, the compilation promises poetry and short prose to chronicle the author’s family and a handful of characters living nearby in the mid-20th Century.
After the catastrophe, Willow Grove had a stranglehold on the region, elucidated by the essence-seeking nature of Graham’s lyric writing. Like violin music wafting from an Appalachian mineshaft on a hillside, verse draws the ear and mind of the reader into the imagination of the book.
As a whole, the collection laments a time, a region, a culture of hard-working, land-loving Appalachians who celebrate and grieve together, who struggle against the odds to succeed, overcoming poverty and tragedy to create better lives for themselves. Too, the stories lament a land ravaged by mining, and the land’s dream of healing.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
“The Sky Was Always Underground is a lyric memoir of a life lived in the aftermath of the second most deadly mine explosion in Ohio history. We use statistics to distance ourselves for such events, but statistics say nothing about shattered lives, keening wives, and survival guilt. Jonathan Graham picks up the pieces of a lost world. Some seem like shards of stained glass from a bombed cathedral, while others more like broken beer bottles, but he celebrates them all, saints and sinners alike, in the haunted foothills of Appalachia.”—R.C. Wilson, Editor “Edith Chase Poetry” and Last Exit Press. Author of A Street Guide to Gary, Indiana: A Post-Industrial Ghost Story (1980, Shelley’s Press, Kent, Ohio).
“This collection moves me deeply with its tender intimacy amid revelations of an important era of United States history—20th Century coal mining in Appalachia—and the tentative grace of an immigrant community. The struggle of immigrants to survive hardship and profound loss is preserved here in a hybrid memoir that is compelling to read from beginning to end. I am glad that Jonathan did eventually leave the dying town where he grew up, a town of poisoned waters, and yet kept his love and respect for his family who built it. Also—what a group of fascinating characters!”—Carol D Guerrero-Murphy, Ph.D., author of Tablewalking at Nighthawk, Chained Dog Dreams, Bright Path Dark River.
“Jonathan Graham has the uncanny ability to transport the reader directly into his remembrances of Appalachia with both his poetry and his prose. His easy-going lyrical style introduces us intimately to his family, the coal mines, and life in general from this unique part of the country. Leaning heavily on his love of nature, he gently captures the vivid sounds, sights and feelings that in turn, capture the reader’s heart. Here you can enjoy a feast of beautiful words gleaned from beautiful memories.”—Lee Elliott, journalist and teacher. Her work can be found in Reader’s Digest, Parents, and Grit, among many others.
“From the land of James Wright comes another voice infinitely versed in the coal mine of language and its char of family legacy caught in the shafts and slag heaps of the mine. Weighted beneath the ash of the Willow Grove Mine explosion in 1940, Poet/Doctor Jonathan Graham’s lyric memoir of an Ohioan childhood is a beautiful memoriam to the dead and to the living, to the (butterfly) wing dust that dries on the finger, and to what most certainly here is the flower of a “coal child” opening its “bounty” of a faraway world.”—Kathryn Winograd, Ph.D. Author of Slow Arrow: Unearthing the Frail Children, and This Visible Speaking: Catching Light Through the Camera’s Eye.
“Throughout The Sky Was Always Underground, Jon Graham’s fresh voice makes vivid the landscape of his youth: the Czechoslovakian immigrant enclave of Midway, just 40 houses, all the fathers coal miners. For nearly 150 pages of rich lyricism and immersive prose, Graham’s deep affection for his people and this place emanates from the page. He invites readers to become rooted deeply, too, to share communion wine at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church; to fish for mudsuckers from train trestles above Big Wheeling Creek; and, most poignantly, to grieve all the loss inflicted by the Willow Grove Mine explosion.”—Ted Lyons, Ph.D. Kent State University English/Creative Writing Professor.
“Jon Graham, hummingbird, has retrieved the nectar. The grief of Willow Grove Mine and the love of Vera Troyanovich, the sweet delights of youth holing up in the train tunnel and skating the deadly ice, the destruction of land and water and men. The decrepit survivors. The artist recreates his noble origins, out of ditches and red dog gravel.”—James De Monte, Ph.D. Author of Where Are Your People From? and Brotherhood.
by Jonathan Graham
Page Count: 154
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Publish Date: January 2, 2024
Imprint: Catamount Press
Genre: Literary / Short Stories
POETRY / Subjects and Themes / Death, Grief, Loss
POETRY / Subjects & Themes / Animals & Nature
FICTION / Small Town & Rural
You might also like ...
-
$29.95This new edition combines the first edition and...This new edition combines the first edition and Prince and the Paupers into one volume. Author and historian Guy Graybill presents the entertaining tale of one of America's most prolific moonshine...
-
$14.95Steve and Joan Troutman have collected the hist...Steve and Joan Troutman have collected the histories and photographs of the various one-room schoolhouse of the Mahantongo Valley, of Northumberland and Schuylkill Counties, Pennsylvania, including...
-
$16.95The indelible image lingers from every cemetery...The indelible image lingers from every cemetery and nostalgic detail consuming the human mind. It is a sumptuous palace swarming with bodies from the past. Cemeteries can be dynamically active or...
-
$22.95Sometimes losing your children is the only way ...Sometimes losing your children is the only way to save them. The year is 2039. Jean Bennett’s husband and sister have died from a mysterious illness. To save her children’s lives, she must leave t...
-
$16.95by Katherine Bowers Ever found yourself stuck o...by Katherine Bowers Ever found yourself stuck on the shoulder of life, afraid to veer out into traffic, petrified of being blind-sided by yet another reckless driver? I so want to be the brand of...
-
$19.95Anyone wishing to unlock the secrets behind Pen...Anyone wishing to unlock the secrets behind Pennsylvania’s treasure trove of old-time legends and folktales should read this book and its predecessors. Fascinating and unbelievable as some of these...
-
$16.95It was the time of rifle, tomahawk, and knife. ...It was the time of rifle, tomahawk, and knife. It was the time of plough, axe, and endurance. It was the time when blood flowed into the waters of the Susquehanna River—1750 to 1800—Colonial Susqu...
-
$19.95Henry Shoemaker compiled these legendary tales ...Henry Shoemaker compiled these legendary tales set in the Juniata Valley of central Pennsylvania. Shoemaker's tales recall the transition of the landscape from forest to industrial logging and the ...
-
$14.95by A. B. Zeitler – “I almost fell overboard on...by A. B. Zeitler – “I almost fell overboard on my way to America,” my father often said. This quote begins many immigrant adventures detailed in Leaving Germany: One Family’s Post-World War I Ame...
-
$19.95They say you can never go home again, but what ...They say you can never go home again, but what if home won’t let you leave? When Elbridge Corvallis’ mother dies, the barely minted professional hockey player abandons his first season to return t...
-
$24.95by Stephen Paul Sayers When the ride ends, the ...by Stephen Paul Sayers When the ride ends, the terror begins… The nightmares and visions are getting worse for crime writer Jack Rainne. He can’t shake the childhood memory of a haunting carousel r...
-
$12.95-- Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley -- A fictionalized...-- Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley -- A fictionalized account of Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley’s life story, the most plausible “Molly Pitcher” from the American Revolution, based on the historical record. b...
-
$24.95In Deals, Danger, Destiny—the first book in thi...In Deals, Danger, Destiny—the first book in this series—John LaCasse takes us through the glamour of wealth and his high-octane lifestyle. He opens the existential crises of fast and furious living...
-
$19.95Their Lives, Contributions, and Burial Sites Jo...Their Lives, Contributions, and Burial Sites Joe Farrell, Joe Farley, and Lawrence Knorr have traveled across the eastern USA to the graves of over 200 founding fathers (and mothers) responsible fo...
-
$12.95Unbelievably More Cartoons for the Somewhat Off...Unbelievably More Cartoons for the Somewhat Off-CenterIf you ever wondered what would happen if an author of graphically violent horror stories also drew cartoons? Not that many people would have t...
-
$19.95Volume Four of the Pennsylvania Fireside Tales ...Volume Four of the Pennsylvania Fireside Tales series contains more of the old-time Pennsylvania mountain legends and folktales collected by the author over the last fifty years. Just like in his ...
-
$12.95Thoughts from a Life of Ministry Several years...Thoughts from a Life of Ministry Several years after the pandemic (epidemic of an infectious disease), we still see the aftermath of the devastation created. The devastation is largely prevalent i...
-
$22.95A Novel of the Battle of Lexington and Concord ...A Novel of the Battle of Lexington and Concord In Colonial Massachusetts at the dawning of the American Revolution, an enslaved African American and a reluctant Patriot must battle the British regu...
-
$19.95by Bob Ford In Ford’s eighth collection of outd...by Bob Ford In Ford’s eighth collection of outdoor humor he continues to strike a chord with hunters and dog lovers as he makes observations about contemporary life, often through nostalgic narrati...
-
$19.95A Strong Cape Cod Connection From the start of ...A Strong Cape Cod Connection From the start of the Puritan era through the end of the Revolutionary War, Boston was the central hub of the slave trade. Slaves were brought onboard ships from the Af...
-
$22.95This book covers the entire 1960 Pittsburgh Pi...This book covers the entire 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates season from spring expectations through a season of destiny culminated by the wildest, most lopsided World Series ever—one which saw a team get ...
-
$24.95The Raven Naelo Saga - Book 1 Raven Naelo, a ha...The Raven Naelo Saga - Book 1 Raven Naelo, a half-elf rogue, dreams of following in her father’s footsteps and becoming a realm guardian. Her dreams move closer to reality when she proves herself a...
-
$16.95Before the US Constitution defined the role of ...Before the US Constitution defined the role of the President of the United States as the chief executive, fourteen men filled the role of President of the United States in Congress Assembled. Thoug...
-
$19.95by Rebecca Titchner Two sisters who never met. ...by Rebecca Titchner Two sisters who never met. Two decades of intimate journals. One tragic ending. A Ghost Comes Calling tells of one woman's journey to understand herself, her birth family, and ...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel lonely? Everyone...What should we do when we feel lonely? Everyone feels lonely sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likeable characte...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel jealous? Everyon...What should we do when we feel jealous? Everyone feels jealous sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likeable charac...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel angry? Everyone ...What should we do when we feel angry? Everyone feels angry sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likable characters ...
-
$19.95“We are vessels ... and sometimes we have to em...“We are vessels ... and sometimes we have to empty them.” For years, Jhana has traveled the country in search of the stories of people from all walks of life had to tell. Now, after more than a dec...
-
$11.95by Carol Vento War begets unlikely pairings. In...by Carol Vento War begets unlikely pairings. In the shadow of World War I, Carol Schultz Vento’s father, Arthur Dutch Schultz, was born to two military veterans. In the immediate aftermath of World...
-
$19.95The Forbidden Powers - Book 3 Seven years have ...The Forbidden Powers - Book 3 Seven years have passed since the destruction of the Cup of Power and the defeat of Darvor’s armies. Life has gone on for Jonny, but he has not freed himself of the pa...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel frustrated? Eve...What should we do when we feel frustrated? Everyone feels frustrated sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likeable...
-
$9.99What should we do when we feel sad? Everyone fe...What should we do when we feel sad? Everyone feels sad sometimes, and it can be difficult to navigate that feeling. The Emotion Monster series features the challenging, yet likeable characters fir...
-
$22.95In the railroad city of Altoona, Pennsylvania, ...In the railroad city of Altoona, Pennsylvania, 19-year-old Frank Davis straddles the cusp of manhood in the tumultuous year of 1966. His tranquil lower middle-class neighborhood, adorned with stree...
-
$22.95The Timothy House Chronicles: Book Two Through ...The Timothy House Chronicles: Book Two Through a Dark Valley, Book Two in The Timothy House Chronicles, continues the story of Abbie Richardson and Keith Haliday—two individuals who have suffered i...
-
$27.95From Pearl Harbor to Midway In November 1940, A...From Pearl Harbor to Midway In November 1940, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, commander-in-chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, told Prime Minister Prince Konoye, “If I am forced to wage war with the Un...
-
$16.95From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas M...From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas M. Malafarina comes the eighth short story collection in his Malaformed Realities series, appropriately entitled Malaformed Realities Volume 8. With th...
-
$16.95From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas ...From the twisted mind of horror master Thomas M. Malafarina comes the seventh short story collection in his Malaformed Realities series, appropriately entitled Malaformed Realities Volume 7. With...
-
$16.95Finding and Losing the Love of My Life in Six S...Finding and Losing the Love of My Life in Six Short Years What if you came home one day and found your husband dead in his favorite chair? This grief memoir explores the author’s experience of the ...
-
$19.95It is the author’s opinion that it is not an ex...It is the author’s opinion that it is not an exaggeration to say that if anyone wishes to experience one of those rare moments of true happiness that occurs in a lifetime, they should go to the mou...
-
$16.95by Carol Vento Carol Schultz Vento recounts the...by Carol Vento Carol Schultz Vento recounts the post-World War II years of her famous father "Dutch" Schultz. "Carol Schultz Vento's testimonial and others like it do not diminish the wartime gener...
-
$9.99What happens when the team goalie gets stuck in...What happens when the team goalie gets stuck in the net during the ice hockey championship game? In the book Stuck! the characters work towards a common goal- helping their goalie get unstuck from ...
-
$22.95- Four women, four stories, and a chance encoun...- Four women, four stories, and a chance encounter that changes everything. Still reeling from a recent breakup, Demi, a Greek-American banquet manager, joins her mother, aunt, and cousin on a trip...
-
$22.95~ The Accountant's Apprentice III ~ “One of the...~ The Accountant's Apprentice III ~ “One of the passengers waiting for a bus . . . said the area . . . was empty. She looked away for a few seconds. When she looked back, he was sitting there in h...
-
$11.95A Story of the West Among the Tribes The Young ...A Story of the West Among the Tribes The Young Frontiersman Book 4 Young Revolutionary War veteran Barnabas Locke makes winter camp in an isolated canyon in the Colorado wilderness, finding pictogr...
-
$11.95A Story of the Great Plains The Young Frontiers...A Story of the Great Plains The Young Frontiersman Book 3 In spring 1782, young Revolutionary War veteran Barnabas Locke and his Abenaki friend, the visionary Squando, reunite to cross the Mississi...
-
$19.95“Lagodzki’s prose is as powerful as his plot is...“Lagodzki’s prose is as powerful as his plot is gripping. A historically astute tale with deep emotional impact. (…) OUR VERDICT: GET IT.” Kirkus Reviews In 1982 Soviet-controlled Poland—a time and...
-
$19.95- The Newly Revealed T206 Baseball Card Collect...- The Newly Revealed T206 Baseball Card Collection of Thomas Edison's Youngest Son Thomas Edison was a long-time baseball fan. In his younger years, he once proclaimed, he could have named the play...
-
$19.95In offering a second volume of Pennsylvania mou...In offering a second volume of Pennsylvania mountain legends and folktales to the reading public, the author does so with a note of appreciation to all who found the first volume of legends of inte...
-
$36.95by John Cressler Much of modern Spain was under...by John Cressler Much of modern Spain was under Muslim control for nearly 800 years (from 711 to 1492 C.E.). Medieval Islamic Spain was deeply influential in world events, for a multitude of reason...
Recently Viewed Products
The coal miners of the Willow Grove Mine.....I was born in 1949, so I don"t reme...mber too much of the explosion, but I do remember when I was in grade school my best girlfriend"s dad had lost both of his legs...I remember seeing him in the wheelchair when I was at her house,,back then that was terrible to see...My sister who is 6yrs. older than me told me that her father-in-law had traded shifts with another coal miner that day, but he survived...my dad was a coal miner, but he didn"t work at the Willow Grove Coal mine......I remember in grade school and high school riding the school bus past the site of the explosion...that is about all I remember....I was born and raised in Willow Grove until I was 18 yrs. of age...
Customer Reviews