Fagan's poem is a small portrait of a man named Tim McKay, who rarely spoke but was always there at the club. He listened, nodded, smiled his "toothy-giggly grin," and seemed to understand whatever was being discussed. Now he has "gone on," and the group misses him.
The speaker's feeling is warm, a little wistful, and perhaps a bit surprised. The last line carries the quiet twist: "We used to sit and talk to Tim for hours." Tim barely said anything, yet the others remember him as someone they talked *to*. The poem suggests that being listened to is a gift, and that people may only notice its value once it's gone. The phrase "gone on" is gentle and doesn't say whether Tim moved away or died, which leaves the loss soft and open. The plain, chatty language fits the mood: simple, affectionate, and sincere, like a few kind words said about a friend.