We watched a podcast last weekend by our "climate mentor" Nate Hagens interviewing Stephen Jenkinson, author of Die Wise: A manifesto for Sanity and Soul (2015), who quipped during the conversation "Yeah, everybody knows that somebody else is dying." The discussion centered on our culture's baked in way of (not) dealing seriously with death and grief as deep experience (different from loss of someone or something and moving on). This of course brought up our history in the Order: Ecumenical. Then to be smacked up against THREE of US making that transition in mystery in the same week! Will our grieving be able to honor them? Will our grieving for the earth and her beings be up to the task. Or will we just be sorry for the loss of them and move on? I offer the following poem from our common library on the subject of death and dying, and one I wrote in response to the quote I mentioned. dying is fine)but Death <https://allpoetry.com/dying-is-fine)but-Death> e. e. cummings, 9written 1931, published 19350 dying is fine)but Death ?o baby i wouldn't like Death if Death were good:for when(instead of stopping to think)you begin to feel of it,dying 's miraculous why?be cause dying is perfectly natural;perfectly putting it mildly lively(but Death is strictly scientific & artificial & evil & legal) we thank thee god almighty for dying (forgive us,o life!the sin of Death “I’m not afraid of death; I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” – Woody Allen *Everybody Knows* “Everybody knows that everybody else is dying.” – Stephen Jenkinson *Written after listening to Leonard Cohen’s 1988 release he wrote with Sharon Robinson* Everybody knows That everybody else is dying Everybody knows That the planet is frying Everybody knows That everybody else ain’t trying Everybody knows The grim reaper is smiling Everybody knows That there is no buy-in Everybody knows That everybody else is lying Everybody knows That somebody’s crying Everybody knows There’s no use in sighing Everybody knows That *EVERY-BODY ELSE* is dying Everybody knows Everybody knows Everybody knows Everybody knows Everybody knows Everybody knows . . . Milan Hamilton August 19, 2025 Here is a link to the poem put to music and published on my YouTube channel as part of my offering to our grieving and honoring process: https://youtu.be/mbW87WBsObY -- Mellow Milan Hamilton 80 North Center Street Redlands, CA 92373 Phone: (909) 943-1667 email: mellowmilan2@gmail.com