God knows, it was not unexpected, Barney,
but the shock wounded my soul,
your life was full laughter,
bleary eyed mornings,
head thumping to the rhythm of tunes
played into the late hours,
for the fun of it,
and to make a living.
Barney, you lived every second,
made that banjo come alive,
accompanying a voice
often gravelly from last night's merriment,
