Poet Susan Ioannou

SEDIMENTARY ROCK

Near Earth’s surface
whatever the sun
heats and cools,
swells, softens, and shrinks,
is dried out, weakened,
and splits off.

Whatever water and ice pick at
and winds have dropped
weathers into layers,
loose compost, clay, and sand
that grain by grain dissolve
and seep down

and melting into groundwater, form
minerals lustrous as copper
in enrichment zones,
as myriad
as there are organisms
and oxygen in ample supply,
or carbonic acid
for microbes to decay,
as motley as calcium swirled in shells
or skeletons pressed into silica
before sinking back to stone
—lithified.

Inco World War Two Poster

The enormous war time demands for the metal ensured that the men working underground would be pushed to their very limits. For the ones who stayed at the mines, absenteeism was becoming a major issue. In the fall of 1942, the International Nickel Company of Canada sponsored a local CKSO radio program called “The Victory Parade.” 

The following three radio spots were written by W.J. Woodill. The radio ads were used to encourage the general public to buy Victory Bonds as well as attempt to combat miner burnout with guilt.

“Mrs. Housewife! Are you one of those women who does her part by encouraging her husband to do his part in this war? Or are you “A Worry bird”, one of those girl friends of Hitler and Company? You know, even if that husband of yours doesn’t bring home a full war kit and rifle, he’s still doing his part if he’s doing his full eight hours of work every day. That Nickel or copper he’s turning out is mighty important these days.”

“Yes this is a critical time! Your husband is working not for so many cents an hour, but working for Victory. Working to put the metal into the hands of industry so there may be tools of war available. It’s vital that he does his job with his full heart in it. That husband of yours needs a clear head and his full attention to his job. Do your part, look after his health and his peace of mind. Remember he is needed on the job every minute of his shift.”

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