Farewell, Hand on Bollocks,
Farewell, Basil Brush,
Farewell, Seaside Drunk and Sea Cow
You’re silent and weeping under history’s crush
Your name's your memorial now
See you, German Helmet,
So long, Tanked Up Ted,
Goodbye, Sausage Stuffer and God
Your names resonate through the roads of my head
The names of the daft and the odd
And the funny and friendly.
The helpful and kind
The sarky and smelly
The fat and half blind
The one’s who you’d laugh with
The one’s you’d laugh at
The one’s you’d go miles to avoid
The one’s you’d buy drinks for
The one’s who’d drink pop
The ones who’d just get you annoyed
Just the names shouting up from the void
So goodbye Milk Bottle, Pol Pot and Cod Eyes
Goodbye Dog On Head and Duck Feet
Hang on to the memories that will never die
Of comradeship forged in the heat
- Ian McMillan
Mark Carrigan 
One response to “A Song of Goodbye, by Ian McMillan”
Well, Hello!
Why say goodbye?
Before we meet
Say hello to rain and sleet
Or those warm sunny days
Slugs under my feet
Need to say hello
A greeting from near
Right up close
A shake of hand a respectful gesture
Not saying goodbye
Being put out to pasture
Well Hello
Hello to life
Hello to health
Hello dear friend
Hello stranger
Hello to snail, slug and puppy dog’s tail
Hello new friend
Well hello let start anew
That last goodbye was a pandemic ago
Time for a new hello
Hello equals new start
Time for light not dark.