Funeral

Dedicated to the memory of Mark Lowe Fisher (1953–1992) and those who died during the AIDS epidemic.

"I want to show the reality of my death, to display my body in public. I want the public to bear witness. We are not just spiraling statistics. We are people who have lives, who have purpose, who have lovers, friends and families, and we are dying of a disease maintained by a degree of criminal neglect so enormous that it amounts to genocide." 

- From “Bury Me Furiously” by Mark Lowe Fisher

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San Francisco, December 2018

In an apartment, sheltered, 

In a city where love is free (health, not so much) 

I sat down to receive education: 

How I wept, all alone, 

Watching a funeral march 

Of a friend I never knew, 

To hear the fury in his words read aloud, 

The last he'd ever write; 

"Action, out of love and rage" 

What an alchemy - 

A potent concoction designed 

To stop them all, and think, 

And if passers-by said "so what", 

About neighbours' hearts being broken, 

Maybe they didn't realise, they still paused to see 

His friends, family, his followers, 

Carry his coffin to the killers; 

The Pontius Pilates of the day. 

How brave and strong the others were, 

To sacrifice the ashes of their fallen beloved 

To curse the king of the uncaring. 

How heartbreaking that many don't learn

Of the pain they all suffered, 

But although the war is almost won, 

The cost of life cannot be redeemed.

Author's Note

Mark Lowe Fisher (1953 – 1992) was a key figure in the activist group ACT-UP. He died of AIDS and insisted his funeral be political in nature as the AIDS crisis was being ignored by the Bush administration.

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Many, many died from this horrible disease, we lost a huge wealth of talent, Freddie Mercury being just one. Powerfully written, the word Aids spread fear everywhere at that time. There is a great deal of pain enamating from your lines Scott. Happy New Year to you.

Chris

[Scott De Buitléir]

Thanks so much, Chris. This was a poem that was somewhat unexpected, like the reaction to the documentary I saw while in San Francisco. Glad you enjoyed the poem. SDB

[John the Baptist]

Clearly, sparely and powerfully written. The pain and anguish almost leaps from the page. Well done.

[Scott De Buitléir]

Thank you very much, John!