For Rob...

My dear friend Rob suddenly lost his mom yesterday. He has been such a good friend to me, and is being so brave in the face of this sudden death. Here are a couple of poems, one for him and one for his mom, that say things much better than I ever could.

Reaching Out

My heart is reaching out to you,
For what you’re going through;
I’m thinking of you frequently
And praying for you, too.

If there’s something I can do,
Anything at all,
Think of me thinking of you,
And don’t hesitate to call.

By Joanna Fuchs


The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám 21

Lo! some we loved, the loveliest and best
That Time and Fate of all their Vintage prest,
Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before,
And one by one crept silently to Rest.

Translated by Edward FitzGerald