• General Nonfiction

    Onwards to 2016 With “Gratitude” for Oliver Sacks

    December 30, 2015 - By 

    Every passing year sees the passing of more people from our lives. Whether from death, ruptured or merely faded relationship, or the loss of the person we once knew because dementia has robbed him or her of that cherished personhood, we come to the final days of a year and amid our looks back, as joyous as some of them might be, we are also reminded of loss. As an additional reminder, news programs highlight the more prominent people who have died, displaying a list of names and faces as the year’s final credits roll. Among those names this year,…

  • Poetry

    The Poet Faces Death

    December 27, 2012 - By 

    As a Worship Associate in my church, I occasionally assist in services, like a high-level version of an altar boy from my Catholic boyhood. That means I get to do some reading and talking instead of leaving it all to the priest. One function is a brief personal reflection tied to the presenter’s sermon theme. The subject on this occasion was suffering and mortality, for which I used this achingly lovely poem by Susan Deborah King as grist for my comments which follow in the next post. If you prefer to listen to the poem and reflection, click on the…