Juliana, James’ first cousin, wrote a song for him. She sang it sitting on the bench with her guitar on December 24, 2017 while she was visiting from Germany.  She has a lovely deep resonant voice.  It was a beautiful moment.  Juliana had been reading about Maori tribal grieving and found they had a ritual called Sorrowing.  For two weeks after the death of a family member, the tribe would surround the family and provide them with the necessities of life so the family could grieve without being troubled by everyday things like making meals.  This song is a tribute to the tribe of family and friends that surrounded James’ family when he died.

Meet me at the sorrowing so that we may be joined
Gently hold me
For death is but a seeding I won’t see it as the end
Tenderly come to me

And even if the bough was sturdier and harvested of fruit
It would still fall
And even if the tree were mightier and heavier of root
It would still fall
As do we all

Meet me at the opening where once our lives were joined
Gently hold me
My drum performs your heartbeat and my reed will find your voice
Tenderly come to me

And even if the bough was sturdier and harvested of fruit
It would still fall
And even if the tree were mightier and heavier of root
It would still fall
As do we all

You have gone as the songbird’s flown but my foot is caught in the reigns
You have gone but here I am alone and flowers fall like rain
And even if the bough was sturdier and harvested of fruit

It would still fall
And even if the tree were mightier and heavier of root
It would still fall
As do we all

Meet me at the precipice where earth and sky are joined
Gently hold me

~ Juliana Napier