Parting of Ways

Come friend, sit and rest awhile,
Share a drink, a toast or two,
Regaling tales that bring a smile
Rejoicing in a bond proven true.

I could not tell when it all began,
With those first faltering steps of youth,
That long would be our run, my friend,
Our journey and our quest for truth.

And in that time, we bravely faced,
The beating sun and stinging rain
Through muddy mire, we kept our faith
And faced dark monsters on the plain.

Looking back where we have trod,
We can smile with a twinkle in the eye
Rejoicing at the fruits our labor brought,
Beneath the rainbow in the sky.

We placed our backs on to the plough
And our youth with fervor did we spend
We had no knowledge of where or how
Nor mercifully what lay beyond each bend

Oh what fun it has been and no regrets,
That we had done all this together
Triumphing over both danger and threat,
My comrade of the road and my brother.

Yet now there is breaking a dark storm,
Against which we cannot hope to stand
Farewell my friend, live happy and long,
Way beyond this, our journey’s end.