Mourner’s Song

by Marc Mangel

 

He liked his bacon and he liked his cheese

He liked to do what he pleased

I’m gonna miss him cause he’s gone

Gonna miss him all day long

 

He liked his steak and he liked his potatoes

But he didn’t eat hardly any tomatoes

I’m gonna miss him cause he’s gone

Gonna miss him all night long

 

He liked to drink but he didn’t smoke

There was none better at telling a joke

I’m gonna miss him cause he’s gone

Gonna miss him my whole life long

 

He liked to party and liked to dance

To him the best of life was making romance

You’re gonna miss him cause he’s gone

Gonna miss him all day long

 

They said that his work here on earth was done

But I don’t agree when I see the eyes of his son

You’re gonna miss him cause he’s gone

Gonna miss him all night long

 

I retired the shirt marked pachyderm

Without him around don’t want my turn

You’re gonna miss him cause he’s gone

Gonna miss him your whole life long

 

I sit here and stare at the wall

Cause I wasn’t there at his great fall

Visions of red swirl in my head

It’s so hard to believe that he’s really dead

We’re gonna miss you cause you’re gone

Gonna miss you the whole day long.

 

He was a righteous man and a good friend

With the sadness of an untimely end

We’re gonna miss you cause you’re gone

Gonna miss you the whole night long

 

It’s fruitless to reason or try to figure why

All we can do is wipe our eyes dry

We’re gonna miss you cause you’re gone

Gonna miss you our whole life long

 

I know what he’d say if he were here

“Pass the gaucamole and give me a beer

“Life is for living and give it your best

“When you think of me — I’m happy in my rest”

We’re gonna miss him cause he’s gone

Gonna miss him our whole life long

 

8 October 1986

[Context: Our good family friend Tom Curley died of a massive heart attack on a Saturday afternoon in September 1986.

I wrote this poem sometime  after his funeral and memorial service.]