Tag: Friend

My Forever Friend

Doug and Shirley (February 2022)

Hello, my Forever friend. It’s just lonely me, again. 
You’re on my mind it seems, and in my dreams. 
Your face still lingers, slips through my fingers,
I try to make it stay. Heaven’s just too far away. 

The paths we walked, arms interlocked, hands grasped.
We’d joke, you knew before I spoke, what I would ask.
Your voice, your touch, I miss them, oh, so much.
There is no sound when you are not around.

Once in a crowd, I called out loud, nothing mattered. 
People stared, they were scared, so they scattered. 
I didn’t care. I saw you there, why could they not? 
It meant so much, the sweet tranquility you brought.

You were called to leave. I was left to grieve, 
The honour’s mine, do not pine, just let it be. 
Grief, noblest show of love, show I unto thee. 
I’ll wait for you, you for me, My Forever Friend. 

Douglas Garrett

When the Day Has Turned to Silver

When the day has turned to silver and the golden threads slip westward in the sky.
When the memory clouds are gathering of the good times had together, you and I.
Will the warm coals of our friendship glow more brightly by the gentleness we find?
When the days have turned to silver and we think about the memories on our mind.

-Doug Garrett

Owens Move to Australia

(July 24 ,1971: Edmonton. Our friends, Tom and Helen Owen sailed to Australia, to return to where she was born. I wrote this song as a farewell tribute. It is sung to the tune of the Irish Rover’s “Unicorn.”)

A long time ago, when it all began, a red-headed Aussie came to claim her man.
It wasn’t long till she began to cuddle and coo, cause there stood Tom in blue.

So up they married and off they went for a 5-year stint on the continent.
But Germany’s cold, so word got around, “Guess whose moving to Barrie Town?”

Ontario was glad that they were sent. They made Tom District President.
They built Barrie Chapel with their might and main, but oh, those snows came on again.

Sometime later in the real Cold Lake, 50 below was more than they could take.
With 5 little kiddies and a few pets too, they looked like a walking zoo.

So here they are in the Klondike Town, to get an education and settle down.
But it didn’t take long for Helen to retort, “There ain’t enough sun here to tan my hide, sport!”

Now off they go to sunny Perth, clear on the other side of this silly earth.
Shouting, “Look what I brought you Maw, besides the kids and all – He’s out there in the hall.”

With his long-legged britches, both whites and blues,
Fuzzy white hair and white kid shoes,
His crazy ties attract the flies,
But sure as you were born,
He’s just the thing to keep me warm.

-Doug Garrett

Jim Fleming: Reviews Movies and Videos.

(I wrote this poem in 1999 in honour of Jim Fleming, who worked at  Parentspreview.com)

Across the wide expanse of space, in some exotic webpage space,
A lonely figure “cuts and pastes,” appealing to our higher tastes.
As we enjoy the endless sight of previewed pictures on movie night, 
Do we stop to think of him whose back is bent and eyes are dim?

Each week we check his website page for wisdom from this wizened sage.
May his chilly, bony finger always on the key board linger.
All hail to him who Rod appointed, who never us hath disappointed.
Forever may the news contain these words: “Jim Fleming strikes again.”

-Doug Garrett