RAISE A SLOW GLASS Raise a slow glass to the man who has left us Drain one more pint for the soul that's moved on To wander the stars in his beer-powered spaceship Raise a slow glass, boys, for Bob Shaw is gone. As one of the fans he was there when it started Helped keep it alive through the dark days of war His fondness for fandom was always whole-hearted His puns made us groan but we begged him for more. As one of the pros he wrote clunkers and classics His visions still linger, though trapped in the pain From the Palace of Heaven on to Wooden Spaceships We never will look upon his like again. I never did know him, or guess what he suffered To give one more talk, though it filled him with fear But I hope there is healing wherever he's gone to And through my slow glass I can see him still here. So raise a slow glass...