Business Quote by Bob Hicok
““I had no business trying to see you leave, see death arrive, I owe you an apology, an elegy, I owe you the drift of memory, the praise of everything, of saying it was the best decision of my life, to hold you full, hold you empty, & live as the only bond between the two.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “Elegy for a Lost Love”, published in Poetry Magazine, 2015
The speaker expresses deep remorse and gratitude for a departed loved one, blending sorrow with reverence for shared memories.
In simple terms: A heartfelt apology and tribute to someone who has died.
Key Takeaway
Honor the memory of those we love.
Themes
grief
remembrance
apology
love
memory
Mood
somber
introspective
poetic
Type
elegiac
personal
philosophical
When to use this quote
- funeral rites
- personal journaling
- supporting grieving friends
- memorial services
Key Concepts
loss
acceptance
personal reflection
mortality
Questions to Reflect On
- What does saying goodbye mean for the living?
- How can we transform grief into lasting appreciation?
A Different Perspective
The poem assumes the deceased can hear the speaker, which may not align with all belief systems.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)