I think of you and remember the forest:
the soft green moss, the towering trees,
the cold clear water in the rippling stream,
the wind sighing through the branches
as if it wanted to talk
of the mysteries hidden there.
There you are, Jana, walking on the path,
wondering how your children will fare
when you leave.
I imagine you feel like a mother robin,
pushing her babies out of the nest
and hoping they are ready to fly.
Letter to a Dying Friend, Jane Hopkins
Go where the water glideth gently ever…
Go listen [to] our own beloved river,
And think of me.
Wander in the forests where the small flower lyeth…
Listen to the dim brook pining as it playeth,
And think of me.
And when the sky is silver pale at even [sic]…
Walk out beneath the solitary heaven,
And think of me.
Think of Me, John Hamilton Reynolds
Over the past decade, Jane Hopkins has visited over 200 cemeteries in the eastern United States and Canada. These sacred places represent the essence of someone’s life on earth and the loving memories of those left behind. Looking for a way to verbalize feelings evoked by the headstones and statues, Hopkins researched 19th century literature, epitaphs and hymns. She chose quotations that eloquently express the grief of those left behind, adding personal reflections from her own family’s experience.
Cemeteries hold our history. In the 19th century they were our first parks. Some are peaceful places with beautiful art and landscaping. Others are the center of the community where people gather to care for their departed with plantings and mementos
When walking through a cemetery, sometimes you notice the carving, at other times the written sentiments; or perhaps you just absorb the mystery of it all. The book will appeal to art lovers and those interested in the role of cemeteries as the final repository of so many hopes and dreams, and as a meeting ground of the living and the dead. Those who have lost loved ones may find consolation and comfort in its message.
The book is available on Amazon and through BookBaby BookShop or Liftbidge Books.
Amazon’s stock has just sold out. They should be able to reorder. See if that works, or try Baby BookShop: 20 % discount until July 4. Use code AGS20. They will print the book on demand. Liftbridge books is an independent bookstore near Webster. They accept online orders.
The book is a finalist in the 2023 Eric Hoffer Book Awards and the National Indie Excellence Awards for Photography.