A Vanished Friend

Around the corner I have a friend

In this great city that has no end,

Yet the days go by and weeks rush on,

And before I know it, a year is gone

And I never see my old friend's face,

For life is a swift and terrible race,

He knows I like him just as well

As in the days when I rang his bell,

And he rang mine.

Once, we were younger then,

And now we are busy, tired men.

Tired of playing a foolish game,

Tired of trying to make a name.

"Tomorrow" I say, "I will call on Jim"

"Just to show that I'm thinking of him"

But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes,

And the distance between us grows and grows.

Around the corner! - Yet miles away,

"Here's a telegram sir-" "Jim died today."

And that's what we get and deserve in the end.

Around the corner, a vanished friend.

(Contributed by Anil Raj)