The blue smoke spirals round me
As I taste the nicotine
And the acid smoke of the tar cheroot
Calms a wild mind to serene.
For this my friend I thank thee
For the balm of your advice,
For the smuggled loot of a good cheroot
In your way of being nice.

For this , my friend, I thank thee
For your ever present arm
A sturdy man to lean on
When the evil-ness does harm.
When the plank of rank misfortune
Falls upon my shaven head,
When the doctor's heavy hand
Writes me off as being dead.

And the blue smoke spirals round me
As the tangled panics clear
And a lung of smoke really calms a bloke
And the tar suppresses fear.
Do you see the complication?
Do you see why I am wild?
Can you see what this is doing
To my poor, dear wife and child?

For this, my friend, I thank thee
For your comforting warm word
And your gentle phrase of frank concern
Was the sweetest I have heard.
But alas, the hard oppression
Has me clawing for my breath
And the weight of my confinement
Has but smothered me to death.

And the blue smoke spirals round me
As I taste the tar cheroot
And the maze of my mind is so utterly confined
That I’ve given hope the boot.
Farewell to bright tomorrows
Farewell to laughter’s peal,
Farewell to the taste of my darlings lips
And how good her ******* feel.

And as blue smoke spirals round me
It’s the bitterness I see,
For the game was lost when the dice were tossed
And what has been, will be.
For you, who stood beside me
I raise my arm’s salute,
As the final smoke deserts me
I stub out the last cheroot.

Marshalg
@thebach
Mangere Bridge
14 September 2011