To absent friends.
To all my friends and comrades,
From here to there and back.
To all my chums and lovers,
All on my lifelong track.
To all of those who held my hand,
And those who held me back,
From making worse mistakes alone,
Than we could as a pack.
We’ve drunk our port and champagne,
And smoked our fine cigars.
We’ve eaten each other’s cooking,
And carried us home from bars.
Together we counted winnings,
And tallied up our losses,
And figured out mistakes we made,
And how much they have cost us.
And if you judge a man’s worth by,
The company he keeps,
Then I’m a richer man by far,
Than all the Rothschild’s sweeps.
So when I get to heaven,
To Saint. Peter I will say,
I’ll sit right here and wait until,
My friends can find their way.
