Thursday, February 3, 2011

A Quilt Made of Love

(written for an AIDS program at our local high school)

When I was a child, my very best thing

was to snuggle up warm under grandmother’s quilt.

Every patch was a memory, stitched up with love;

every square a reminder, painstakingly built,

of birthdays and holidays, weddings and dreams,

of laughter and tears sewn in resolute seams…

beginnings and endings, first times and last days,

golden threads of a family, tied intricate ways.

A quilt made of love, not of cotton or fill,

but of love, freely shared; I am warmed by it still.
******
The AIDS quilt has traveled through cities and states,

extending the borders by which we are bound,

inviting each heart to reflect on expressions

of love, spilled in patches and squares on the ground.

At Washington’s feet, o’er the land of the free, lies

a blanket, a monument, growing too fast…

and spreading, like wildflowers sprinkled on hills,

vivid flashes of color and beauty that pass

into cold, frozen earth as the winter begins,

into pieces of quilt upon quilt upon quilt …

Every patch is a memory, stitched up with love;

every square a reminder, painstakingly built,

of birthdays and holidays, weddings and dreams …

of laughter and tears sewn in resolute seams…

beginnings and endings, first times and last days,

golden threads of a nation, tied intricate ways.

A quilt made of love, not of cotton or fill,

but of love, freely shared; we are warmed by it still.

Click below for more Q posts.

45 comments:

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

I am a quilt girl. Love them, own them, use them, prefer them to any other cover.

I went to see the Aids quilt in DC and took lots of photos. This was years ago now. It was such a sobering experience.

RedTedArt said...

Quilts really are a labour of love! I love the heart one. So pretty and colourful and cheery!

Unknown said...

It was wonderful to see how each person was remembered on their own special quilt.

Unknown said...

How beautiful. You describe quilts so perfectly. I wish I could have seen that display in DC in real life.
You are up early this morning....

Momza said...

The thing I love about quilts is that they truly are labors of love.
My MIL quilts and we have many of hers in our home that we just love so much.
Each child has their own. And she sent one to our grandson too.
Treasures every one of them.
I should do a post on them soon.
And the AIDS project is a lovely tribute to the lives that have touched others.
Thank you Sue

Vintagesouthernlife said...

Beautiful! "Every patch is a memory stitched up with love." Very few things exude love like a quilt.

Jenny said...

Sue, absolutely beautiful and touching.

Pat said...

A very well done post and so moving. You are blessed to have photos of your Grandmother with her quilt.

larainydays said...

Your poem is as warm as a quilt. I loved it.

Wendy said...

I LOVE quilts.

Lisalulu said...

Beautiful, the poem, the pictures and the sentiment. It makes you remember the quilts that you have seen or have been given by others. thank you for the gift of remembering the memories.

Caroline said...

Beautiful, Sue. What an important and lovely piece of your writing.
I've always loved quilts...especially the really old ones!

Renegades said...

The quilts are lovely and the importance of them even more so when they remember a life or help save on. Very nice post.

Jackie said...

Holy moly! that's a lot of Quilt!

My grandmother made quilts too :) I love them .

Jocelyn Christensen said...

Very nice as always...I went to see the AIDS quilt when it came to my college...Miami University.

Anonymous said...

Quilts are so special and I love them. You have posted some pictures of beautiful quilts. I have never seen the AIDS quilt in person but I have a very special place in my heart for those who suffer with AIDS. This is a wonderful post sweet Sue. Very touching words to go with the quilt pictures. Hugs

Rocky Mountain Woman said...

What a lovely tribute you have paid to a lovely tribute!

I remember that like it was yesterday, a sobering reminder of the toll of Aids...

Karen Mortensen said...

Just beautiful Sue.

Grandma Yellow Hair said...

Sue honey I really adore you for sharing this lovely post with us.
Wow you really have some great memories wrapped around you with all of these.
The aids quilt is something I have wanted to see but never have had the chance. Incredible the pictures you have here to share with us. I am glad you did
Hope your well
Love
Maggie

aspiritofsimplicity said...

Beautiful and meaningful quilts all of them. I like the way you compared the names quilt to wildflowers in a meadow.

DIYbyDesign said...

Quilts are so special. What a beautiful post. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog.

Mary said...

Love your poem...what a special way to honor a loved one.

Judie said...

Well, you've done it again, Sue. You've brought tears to my eyes with your wonderful poem and photos. What precious memories--

Donna said...

Funny, I was just thinking about doing a post on the beautiful quilt that my mother left me. It was stitched with names of all the female ancestors of our family back many generations to England in the 1600's by my mother and grandmother. It is just a treasure! I don't use it as to "save" it but then it never sees the light of day and means so much to me. Not good huh?
Your quilts have so much special meaning. I remember that traveling exhibit and it came to our town. It was amazing..good post!!

Gattina said...

I love quilts very much, but I could never do one, I have not enough patience for that.

Brian Miller said...

every patch a memory stitches with love for sure...that is so cool...i miss the quilt from my moms house...would be so cool to see this...

Darlene said...

I too love quilts, as you know. I just wish I could have made some lovely ones for all of you. I did tie a lot of quilts and that was next best I guess. Mom used to made quilts ,but I don't know what happened to all of them. They did get used. How I wish I had one of hers.

This was a great post. I loved the poetry too. That Aids quilt must be something. Wish I could have seen it. I wonder what will happen to it eventually. It is so large.

Theresa Plas said...

Oh Sue! Such a beautiful post! Loved it!

karen said...

That was just beautiful and really tugged at my heart. I love old quilts - I don't have nay, but I wish I did. My daughter in law likes to quilt - maybe she'll make one for me one day.

Side note: can I just say I love your mom? She told the FUNNIEST story about your grandma as a comment on my blog. It was awesome.

yaya said...

Beautiful poem and what a wonderful display of quilts in Washington..I would love to see that in person. I can hardly think of any nicer gift than a quilt.

Stef said...

Holy cow. That is amazing. My mom quilts and the amount of time it takes to make something amazing...well, I can't imagine. But those were/are amazing!

PERMANENT POSIES said...

That was amazing! I am not a quilter but I absolutely love them and I am so intrigued by them. These pictures were amazing. Did I say that already?

Grandma Honey said...

I am also a lover of quilts. I have them in just about every room of my house!

Su-sieee! Mac said...

Sue, you've got me all teary-eyed with your words and photos. Thank you.

~✽Mumsy✽~ said...

Gorgeous quilts, and I'm also fascinated with how every little piece came together to tell a story.

nothing profound said...

Incredibly moving! Nothing is more precious than what human beings have made with their own hands out of love.

Bonnie said...

I have always been intrigued by quilts and the people (quilters) who make them. I think it's an amazing talent.

I really enjoyed this beautiful post. Your writing and the music soothed my soul. Thank you.

Grandma Yellow Hair said...

I am back again.lol
Love the picture of your grandparents and is that you as a little girl. Beautiful just beautiful!
Wanted to tell you I am doing the One World One Heart giveaway so try to come by and enter
Love
Maggie

Anonymous said...

I have a quilt on my To Do list and one day i sahll sit down and start, there's so much inspiration out there.
Lovely post

Yoshi said...

The display in DC is incredibly awesome!
Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful weekend.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

love your Q take.
love is in sight indeed.

Personalized Sketches and Sentiments said...

I LOVE quilts! What a beautiful tribute post that you have written.

The images you shared with your words...are also a perfect companion.

Blessings & Aloha!
(Thank you so much dear friend for stopping by).

H said...

Quilting isn't a big thing over this side of the Atlantic, so I am always fascinated to see the work of others. The AISA quilt in DC is a dichotomy; beautiful and tragic both at once!

H said...

Sorry! Read, THEN post... AIDS (hit adjoining keys!)

Tonya said...

Heart-warming and incredibly beautiful: all of it! AMazing quilts!!!