It was the other night and Cold War Kids front man Nathan Willett wrote a poem about the tragic death of David Foster Wallace. He was full of immediacy and was affected enough to busy himself with some words and a pen to help him collect his ideas. The poem appears below, along with a note. Expect a new Cold War Kids session and a review of the band’s new album Loyalty To Loyalty soon.

From Nathan Willett: “Hello friends, Those of you who are familiar with the writer David Wallace know how much his passing affects us all. We wrote a short poem with him in mind that will hopefully become a song soon.”

THIS IS WATER First thing you taught me
Was to keep digging inside
At my intentions
Keep asking why why why
Second thing you taught me
Was to be sincere
Not like all these smart alec sarcastics
Drowning in fear
You reminded me this is water
It feels good to swim
After you hooked me and you reeled me up
And threw me out again
Talked like professors
You talked like policemen and whores
You became so many people
I felt like I had known them before
The third thing you taught me
Is that when I’m waiting in line
At the supermarket checkout
That my time is not worth more than your time
Your head like a lightning rod
Your heart a cocoon
We certainly won’t have another like you
Anytime soon.

Cold War Kids First Daytrotter Session from the summer of 2006
Cold War Kids Official Site