POET—EDITOR—FRIEND

gently odd
a noddy
in tumbly digs
trying words
mumble mumble

                         — Robert Spiess

‘Just once,
everything, only for once. Once and no more. And we too,
once. And never again. But this
having been once, though only once,
having been once on earth—can it ever be cancelled?’

                                 —Rainer Maria Rilke

(taped to the wall of Bob’s study)