For an Absent Friend
At Duple-Time, Brenda Sutton produced a beautiful chair cover she'd made by way of memorial for Keris and the future absent friends (there will sadly inevitably be), so they could be with us in spirit at future cons. And this empty chair, decorated with Keris's con-badge and picture sat there by the sound-desk through the con - a beautiful thought and deed of Brenda's.
Then as I was driving home, I suddenly realised there was now another version of Empty Chairs at Empty Tables badly wanting to be written... [Edit: 4th verse now updated as per comments]
Empty Chair
There’s a grief we’ve shared and spoken
But his con must still go on
An empty chair stands by the table
There to mark a friend now gone
Here he worked his evolutions
A humble man who sought no fame
Here he planned for cons to follow
But for him, they never came.
On the sound-desk in the corner
You could find him every con
There to stop our voices ringing
And give them force and power
He loved to help in all we sung
With cables in profusion.
And he even liked Before the Dawn.
Oh my friend we won’t forget you
In our circle you belong
Let the music ring unbroken
You would want it to go on.
Someone else can run the sound-desk
Someone else can sing the bass
But can any match your kindness,
Or begin to take your place?
Oh my friend, my friend, we’ll miss you
So in memory of before
An empty chair stands by the table
Where absent friends can sit… no more…