Guernseys’ Number One Son - Lester Queripel

(Written in tribute to the memory of local legend George Torode)
The island has lost its’ best friend
His life came to a premature end
He was taken from us at an early age
But he wasn’t ready to leave the stage
He hadn’t finished singing his song
And we hadn’t finished singing along
He hadn’t finished telling us his joke
The one about the chap from Torteval, who was a bloney good bloke
He hadn’t finished telling us his story
The one about the roadsweeper covered in glory
It was a tragedy that he wasn’t allowed to live
He had so much more to give
He was a gold nugget in the sand
A genuine and funny man
He was never foul mouthed or crude
He was never vulgar or rude
He didn’t need to be!
He was a master of words
He was a storyteller supreme
His delivery, and his timing were a storytellers’ dream
Our world is obsessed with greed and money
But George stood apart; he found it all so funny
He was a self-made man
He was a gentle man
He had the world in the palm of his hand
We are all in shock; in a state of disbelief
The people of Guernsey are united in their grief
But we are so grateful for his legacy
His books are there for all to see
So thank you George for all that you’ve done
You will always be Guernseys’ number one son

Lester Queripel