2020 October 22; Zoom Presentation
Rachael Miller, Gerontologist, Hospice Volunteer Program Mgr; Yolo Hospice & Home Care; Davis, CA
“Pamela’s marvelous poetry is rich, engaging and deeply heartfelt. Her work beautifully encapsulates the exquisite, indispensable role of volunteers sitting vigil. Her live reading, accompanied by intimate and tender details of her experiences, is an invaluable gift to all who have the opportunity to receive it.”
2020 September 10; Zoom Presentation
Susan Barber, Community Education Mgr; Mission Hospice & Home Care; San Mateo, CA
“Pamela MacPherson’s presentation, based on her poetry in Vigil: The Poetry of Presence, will benefit any hospice or NODA program she speaks to. I asked Pam if she would speak as part of Mission Hospice and Home Care’s Community Conversation Series, which takes place on Zoom due to COVID-19, and she agreed immediately. I am so grateful. We had lots of interest in her presentation from our volunteers who sit vigil, as well as from our community members.
Pamela’s poems are beautiful gems that distill in such few words the incredible experiences had by slowing down, becoming fully present to what is and turning towards death, instead of away from it. Her words are precise; her love of her patients and these experiences is tangible. The presence that is so very clearly articulated in her poetry exuded from her as she read these wonders to us.”
Camilla Rockwell, Director, Holding Our Own: Embracing the End of Life; Burlington, VT
“Pam MacPherson’s honest, unpretentious poems reveal the deep-rooted compassion she offers to strangers in their final hours. A hospice volunteer anonymously standing in “for all who ever loved you”, she holds her readers as tenderly as she holds the hands of the dying. Without shying away from her own uncertainty, exhaustion or sadness, she shares the calm assurance, even joy, of midwifing each soul into Mystery. For all of us who wonder how to be with the dying, these intimate passages are clear: presence is the practice.”
Ken Ross, Founder and President, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Foundation; Scottsdale, AZ
“Pam has written a beautifully crafted book on a topic many people find difficult to approach – the end of life. This book is filled with the compassion of someone who has dedicated so many years of her life to the service of those in their final days. Written with a clear understanding and a soft touch, Pam deftly captures so many of the feelings and nuances of those experiencing their last passage. The Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Foundation strongly recommends this book to anyone who has any interest in the experiences of dying, death and loss.”
WFH, Las Vegas, NV
“I have just finished reading the preface to “Vigil” and I have been silenced. The author’s raw, uncensored presence, vulnerability and willingness to share her heart has literally stunned me. I will sit with just this portion of the book for some time. My vigil has begun.”
J. Donald Schumacher, President and CEO, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
“Pam MacPherson’s poetry speaks volumes about the many years she has shared her presence with the dying. The process of dying, while very different for everyone, has some similarities that Pam reaches in her beautiful words. Each person’s dying is different; yet the unique path to getting there reveals our common humanity: love, pain, joy, comfort, searching and acceptance. All of these and many more are felt and recognized in Pam’s poetry. I recommend this book without hesitation!”
Zail S. Berry, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Medicine, Larner College of Medicine at The University of Vermont; Burlington, VT
“This moving collection of poetry is filled with scenes that will stir recognition in those familiar with being at the bedside at life’s end. More importantly, the poet’s insights have much to teach all of us who care for people through life’s final chapter, both newcomer and veteran alike.” –
JW
“This book is a must read. Words do not do justice to the emotions that have been captured by the author and penned so articulately.”
IMM
“I can only say how grateful I am for this soul-uplifting poetry about a subject I have been very close to for all my nursing years. The book is a gift to those of us who witness and who see the spirit leave.”
M. Wood-Lewis; Burlington, Vt
“From the beautiful preface to the diverse collection of poetic reflections on the journey of dying, I loved this book. Pam is obviously a skilled, loving and thoughtful companion to folks on hospice, and understands the beauty, power and possibility of peace during the transition to death. Having just suffered two major losses, I found her words a comfort, as well as thought provoking about the health care policy changes that could make death less scary and less medical. I loved the simple zentangles between chapters – very soothing. A perfect gift for those caring for aging parents, for nurses, etc.”
Judy Lief, Author of Making Friends with Death: A Buddhist Guide to Encountering Mortality; Boulder, CO
“Pamela’s years of dedicated care for the dying, and the many hours she spent at the bedside of people in the last days of their lives, come to life in the collection of poetry she has entitled Vigil: The Poetry of Presence. She shares how late at night, in moments of quiet intimacy, simply by being a compassionate witness one can bring comfort and healing to those in need. In her encounters with the great variety of people and situations she met through her hospice work, Pam developed a deep trust in the transformative power of bearing witness to human suffering. Her heartfelt poetry is woven from the threads of kindness, acceptance, and the ability to be fully present for others.”
JP; Westford, Vt
“This little book is much larger than its physical size!”
Hospice Volunteer; Seattle, WA“>
“Staff and volunteers in the Hospice office went crazy over Vigil! I’m writing a book review right now for the volunteer newsletter.”
BCC; Washington, DC
“Another copy is now to be sent to a friend who has been keeping vigil with her mother, recently assigned to hospice status. I’m mailing it off to her tomorrow, and I know it will give her courage and comfort.”
AM; Santa Fe, NM
“I have already read about half of the poems. I am mesmerized by their simplicity and beauty. They really capture the universal human experience of dying and feel so personal. Congratulations on the completion of this meaningful project.”