Lament

Oh my friend, you are lost to the midnight
To the firelight, the wood-smoke and tears
We’ll mourn your passing for the rest of our lives
Sing your memory down all the years
We’ll sing of your joys and your sorrows
Of your passion, your anger and glee
Of how you struggled and strived, never gave up the fight:
Life never brought you to your knees

I just hope you knew that we cared for you
That our love for you will never end
It was a pleasure and privilege to call you my friend
And although life is rough, and you’re gone from us
And your passing has torn us apart
My friend, my brother, you’ll never be gone from our hearts

Every time I stand watching the ocean
I see you down at old Welcombe Bay
I see you happy and wasted and smiling
Like you were on those drunk, sunny days
I hear your laugh in the cries of the seagulls
Feel my tears join the salt spray of surf
My friend, this is how you’re remembered:
As at one with the living earth

I just hope you knew that we cared for you
That our love for you will never end
It was a pleasure and privilege to call you my friend
And although life is rough, and you’re gone from us
And your passing has torn us apart
My friend, my brother, you’ll never be gone from our hearts

I don’t believe in ghosts, I don’t believe in the immortal soul
I think the concept of hell is just blackmail, the concept of heaven just social control
I don’t believe that somewhere up above your Cheshire cat grin is still grinning
And it’s not enough to say that each end is a new beginning
There’s nothing that can make it less fucked up ‘cause it’s so fucked up
That one so full of love could be taken so soon

And all the impotent anger, all the innocent pain
Won’t change the fact that you’ll never see another sunrise again
And the only consolation in this pitiful situation
Is that the body that once bore you will enter the cycle of regeneration
And you’ll become just another part of the world that you loved so much
But it’s the slightest sugar-coating on the bitterest pill

I wish I’d had chance to say thank you
For the good times and love that we shared
I just want one last chance to tell you
Quite how much we all fucking cared
This won’t be the last time I say it
And it won’t be the last time I cry
But I’m taking this moment to tell you:
I love you. I miss you. Goodbye.

I just hope you knew that we cared for you
That our love for you will never end
It was a pleasure and privilege to call you my friend
And although life is rough, and you’re gone from us
And your passing has torn us apart
My friend, my brother, you’ll never be gone from our hearts

I just hope you knew that we cared for you
That our love for you will never end
It was a pleasure and privilege to call you my friend