Burning Candles From Both Ends

He was my friend For just a few years, Our friendship cemented Over ciggies and beers, And chatting up birds On long boozy nights And standing back to back In barroom fights. We had an arrangement That we never abused We drank on credit In the bar we used, ,Every two weeks When payday came around Even the comrades knew Where we’d be found. Standing at Elli's bar We patiently waited Whilst our tally was Carefully calculated. With the account settled That was when With the first drink Our tally started off again. We were last to,leave Every single drinking night And I swear sometimes It was almost first light. When his postings came We said goodbye Promised to keep in touch But we neither did try. For a little while I tried to carry on But it wasn't the same With him being gone. I heard he carried on Just the same And every now and again I'd hear his name. I'm pretty certain he's dead After all these years Fron too many ciggies And too many beers But he was my mate My very best of friends When we burned our Candles From the middle and both ends