Tom Waits pens heartfelt poem to longtime friend and collaborator Keith Richards

Waits was writing for Rolling Stone (the magazine)'s special issue Keith Richards: The Ultimate Guide to His Music & Legend, which is out now.

Richards has collaborated with Waits on numerous occasions, including on the latter's seminal 1985 LP Rain Dogs.

Waits recently played a new track on The Late Show with David Letterman to wish the TV host farewell. Richards will release his first solo record in 20 years - Crosseyed Heart - next month.

Read the poem below via Rolling Stone.