I stand here
sometime in December
it really doesn't matter
exactly when
not in this place

a silence
quilts hanging
on the walls
pieces of live

silence as I look
at the different panels
multi-colored
multi-designed
as individual
as the lives they represent
all who died
before their time

a sacred feeling
a shrine
a public place
for the tears
for remembering

yes for the remembering

from four corners
voices
steady, strong
four voices
four people
reciting
the names of
those who died

ALL THOSE WHO DIED

are there no tears
left for the innocent?

second by second
word by word
the recitation continues
all those who died
of AIDS

family members
sewing, creating
this traveling memorial
this wonder
of cloth
pieced together
little, igsignificant
alone
but when assembled
whole football fields
are covered
in its wonderment

but what purpose?

rememberance

some panels
contain personal messages
from family
from friends
from lovers

it really doesn't matter
it shows life
this quilt

Joseph once owned
a multi-colored dreamcoat
but this creation
holds the dreams
of not just one man
but of hordes of people
united in one common bound:

to remember their love ones
who died all too soon
of AIDS

PAUL VERNON DEFFENDALL
MARCH 8, 1995
photography by Paul Vernon Deffendall
September 1998

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