Memorials

"Memento Mori", Catholic monks used to advise each other in Latin. "Remember death." It is a part of life: it gives us greater appreciation of life and keeps our priorities on things that last, when we Remember Death.

I have too much death to remember.

We run frequent obituaries in Real Change street-newspaper. I maintain a Homeless Memorials page. I can't keep up with all of it. Five homeless men were stabbed to death in this last summer alone, here in Seattle. Two of them were killed by teenaged boys.

These are some of the people we grieve, and remember:

Emerald Jym

Lynn Pfiger

Brad

Jimmy

Kim Petersen's children

Kim Petersen (wounded, but alive)

Tessie Comeslast

Jean Dawson

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Acknowledging death gives life meaning, purpose and value. If life has meaning, purpose and value then please join with me to make deaths by violence, neglect and despair never happen again.

Survival Program

How do we mourn a hundred children?
     Feel the absence of one small hand
     and then another.
How do we mourn a hundred women?
     Name one silent voice
     and then one other.
How do we mourn a hundred
fathers, brothers, lovers?
     Trace the shape of one missing face
     and then one more.
How do we save a thousand lives?
     Hold one hand
     Listen to one voice
     Look in one face
     at a time.

Memorial Service 1998       Vigil to Stop Hate Violence 1999
Other Homeless Memorials

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