We dug his grave with our own hands,
My boyhood friend who died a man.

We screamed, we cried and set to lie,
With joyous song we memorized.

A friend to me, a friend, and friends are few,
A brother and a son to you.

And sorrows sigh moved trees that day,
As in the earth our brother lay.

Many a silence I shared with him,
Many the man that cared for him,
Many the tears still fall for him,
And Many the heart that calls for him.

*

Somehow I feel the bond is stronger,
Where children of the valley wander.

On mountain side in cave and tree,
On riverbank our lives were free.

The smell of dust from settlers road,
The cleansing rain, the hope it sowed.

Warmth of fire in winter flood,
We shared our lives if not our blood.

Many the mission up jacks track,
Many the muddy day out back,
Many the rocks up top we pushed,
And many the lesson learned in bush.

*

We grew apart there for some time,
He had his life and I had mine.

But after years we reunited,
And friendships flame was reignited.

It was as though we’d never parted,
For in innocence and trust our friendship started.

What a man my friend became,
I only hope I do the same.

Many the wish for wasted time,
Many regrets for many a crime,
Many a man could better be,
If any a lesson was learned from he.

*

We carried him as they did of old,
A heavy burden with a heart of gold.

Past the pub where we met and I shed a tear,
For the chance to talk with my friend over one last beer.

We walked to the sound of the funeral drum,
Horses wild in the field, through the cloud came the sun.

More mates he had than I think he new,
For it wasn’t the hands but the handles too few.

Many the wish for what might have been,
Many a wish and many a dream,
Many that day the eagle did see,
Many empty hearts and emptiness in me.

*

We dug his grave with our own hands,
The boyhood friend who died a man.

We screamed, we cried and set to lie,
With joyous song we memorize.

A friend to me, a friend, and friends are few,
A brother and a son to you.

And sorrows sigh moved trees that day,
As in the earth our brother lay.

Many a silence I shared with him,
Many there were that cared for him,
Many the tears still fall for him,
And Many the heart that calls for him.

back to memorial to Eli page

Thai and Eli