Gretchen Eick and Clara Poage, eds.
Blue Cedar Press, October 2020

I am honored to be included in this rich and wonderful collection of poetry, essays, and memories on the subject of the end that awaits us all, and those it leaves behind. My piece, “Assisi Pilgrimage,” describes the achievement of a ritual of leavetaking, and the power of story to assuage grief. We hope these stories from writers across the decades and the world may help readers prepare, ponder, confront, remember, and perhaps be soothed or touched. All proceeds beyond publication costs are going to Doctors Without Borders / Medecins Sans Frontieres, Oxfam, and other agencies serving in the pandemic across the globe.

Available in paperback and ebook formats from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Kobo, and elsewhere. A recording of my essay, with photos from the journey, is posted HERE.