jeremy's farewell....

an ode to a foster-brother who died of AIDS

jeremy

trapped in the webs

of this disease

pulling away at strands

that only come back

weakened

300 lbs and lost

in identity

but he was true

to himself

just not the outside world

he would only see his teens

he had been beaten

by straights

turned against

by jesus

shunned

by family

he carried a purse

wore a skirt

and doc martens

when he finally came out

and he looked

like jeremy

should have looked

one night

one lover

who wasn't clean

who didn't know

and jeremy was lost again

dying from the inside out

his hands were still warm

in that hospital gown

though dry

and trembling

he still smiled

till the time

he finally said good bye

the system made us brothers

time made us friends

and i watched angrily

as he wasted away

his friends

his ex loves

still write

and we still gather

and we remember

this young man

who claimed

to be "more man then you'll ever be

and more woman then you'll ever get"

that still makes me laugh

jeremy

more than a statistic

better than any hateful joke

another human being

taken out of this sick game

miss you, brother...

Author's Note

jeremy was my foster brother back in the early 90's, he was openly gay and introduced me to that culture. he contracted AIDS in 95 and i watched him go down slowly. miss him.

Reviews

[Aven]

this is so powerful... something that nobody should have to expererience. :( I love how you talked about him as a person, not only how you felt about him... it really brought him to life in this piece. wonderful tribute!

[tizzy k]

awwwwwwwwww thats sad

[paul]

beautiful touching tribute written in your unique brilliant style

[heich]

touching..

[NoneOfYourBusiness akaK..]

crushing~

[Jonathan De Elvira]

aids was and still a frightening disease to ever encounter...
you captured it well....

[Robin]

I'm with the M.O.G. on this one ~

[Michael of Gilead]

Very well written, a fine ode to the brother you loved.

heartbreaking.

[Moonflower]

This is a very touching piece. Thank you so much for sharing, my condolences, darling.
~Desiree