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.]