To my father, Lt. Melvin Spencer, USAF and to my father, John L. Fleming

my father moved through dooms of love through sames of am through haves of give, singing each morning out of each night my father moved through depths of height
—E.E. Cummings

 

My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.
—Clarence B. Kelland, 1881–1964

 

TO DARKNESS AND TO DEATH

 

Copyright © 2005 by Julia Spencer-Fleming.

Excerpt from All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent © 2006 by Julia Spencer-Fleming.

 

“The Day Is Gently Sinking to a Close” appears in The Hymnal, 1919 ed., published by the Church Pension Fund.

 

The quotes at the beginning of each section are from The Book of
Common Prayer
, 1979 ed., published by the Church Publishing Company.

 

Cover photo of trees © Aurora / Getty Images.

 

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

 

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2005041318

 

ISBN: 0-312-98887-7

EAN: 80312-98887-6

 

Printed in the United States of America

 

St. Martin’s Press hardcover edition / June 2005

St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / June 2006

 

St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

 

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