The world lost one of its greatest living writers on September 12 with the death of David Foster Wallace. The writer’s unique descriptive style and numerous characters were the art of literature at its finest. His novel Infinite Jest was on Time Magazine’s 100 Best of All Time and Brief Interviews with Hideous Men may be the best collection of short stories I have ever read. The world has been mourning since his death and the Cold War Kids, whose new album comes out tomorrow, were especially affected. The band took the time to write a poem for the beloved writer. The poem was titled This Is Water

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! And
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.

• MP3: Cold War Kids – Every Man I Fall For