By Maria Tori

For Frederick Smock,

 who made my life better

When I heard the news of your 

passing, I picked up all the 

red rocks I found on the path 

and put them in my pocket 

to wish you something good when 

your spirit tucks itself away into 

the next thing. 

A body perhaps, or just air. 

On a good night, the light bouncing

off the moon.

On the best night, the moon itself, 

perhaps. 

I wondered what the moon tonight 

would do without you noticing it. 

I looked up after it and saw nothing

but storm clouds coming 

through and dusting up the sky—

the moon is resting, 

just as you are.

From Maria Tori, Environmental Science major with minors in Biology and Creative Writing: 

Fred Smock was a friend and mentor to so many. Long after I was enrolled in his classes, he met me for lunch or dinner at some local favorites to edit my poetry and talk all things literary. When I heard that Fred had passed, I was shocked. I had just seen him for dinner at Kashmir to pick apart my poems a week before. I was on my way to Mount Saint Francis in Southern Indiana for a hike with my dog. I picked up every red rock I saw on the path to honor his life because what else do you do when something like this happens? 

Fred often mentioned to me his love of the moon and we would always discuss the lunar events of late. Every poem I wrote and showed to Fred, I would ask, "But did it do anything for you? Like, was it worth reading?" and he almost always (almost suspiciously) replied, “It made my life better.” I wrote this poem for Fred and read it at his Celebration of Life Ceremony in the Quad in August 2022.