A bit late for World AIDS Day, but this song was written for it. Blessings to all who are still fighting the fight – doctors doing research, nurses offering loving care, and the people who struggle each day to take their 1,001 meds. Don’t let the media fool you – AIDS is not easy to manage. Peace, Amy
The Day I Saw An Angel Fly (For Jeffery French)
Words and Music by Amy Barlow Liberatore, copyright 2001
In the 80s, on a big iron bed
My friend Jeffery, and a sign that read:
BODY FLUID PRECAUTIONS
The nurse came in and whispered to me
“Put on a mask and gloves – it’s for protection, you see”
And in defiance of the rules, I lay the gloves aside and wiped his fever cool
When it was time to leave, Jeffery tugged at my sleeve, and spoke of…
Angels, flying free
He said, Angels, they’re waiting for me
They’ll take away my fever and fear
They’ll give me wings and release me from here
We’ve all of us, angels-to-be… I hope you see them when they come for me
When I go and you’re missing me so, just turn your face to the sky
And say you saw an angel fly
So many years, so many goodbyes
Too many breaks in our family ties…
Sisters, brothers, friends and lovers
A little news of research each day, and in the meantime, we pray
We keep on working for the best
But when the battle’s lost, and someone’s laid to rest
Jeffery’s words come back to me… I close my eyes and I see…
Angels, all around; angels, on holy ground
They see my tears and soothe all my pain
They give me courage to face life again
We’re all of us, angels-to-be… I know I feel them when they comfort me
I’m not sure of too much in this world, but I know you’ll never really cry
Until you see an angel fly
Can’t remember where I learned to laugh, but
I know I learned to cry
The day I saw an angel fly
NOTE: Jeffery died a week after I told him I was pregnant with my daughter. His beloved Christopher made sure Jeff was able to stay at home and pass away in his own bed, in his favorite nightshirt. Christopher is still with us, and this song is dedicated to both of them. And no, I did not misspell my friend’s name! “G. Jeffery French.”
Also at my poetic heart and hearth: Poets United.
Sharp Little Pencil 
Daydreamertoo
This is a lovely tribute to your friend. So glad he had friends and loved ones with him until the last. The link to your song isn’t working but, I copied the end part of it and found it. Lovely song, lovely voice. Very touching.
Sharp Little Pencil
DD, sorry the link did not work. I’m thinking of bringing everything over to WordPress so I can upload my own songs here, as well as the songs and videos of others. But thanks for your comments – yes, Jeff’s partner made sure he died in their bed, not in a hospital with that stigmatizing sign. Peace, Amy
Judith
Thank you for posting this. Your words are lovely and so true. I see angels flying when I am at the hospice each Thursday. Angels waiting for their time to take our friends and love ones away from us.
Your words make me cry – I saw an angel fly will stay with me for a long time.
Sharp Little Pencil
Judith, your hospice work is to be honored, indeed. Angels are all around us, comforting and listening. Thanks so much – and you know, I cried as I wrote the song years ago… peace, Amy
Paul Andrew Russell
Wow Amy, that’s beautiful ! 🙂 I’m so glad I stopped by today.
Sharp Little Pencil
Paul, I’m glad, too. Songwriting was my first love, my intro to poetry as such. I’ll pay you a visit now. Peace, Amy
brian miller
a fine dedication…and wether you missed AIDs day or not i am glad you posted this…that last bit there got me…smiles.
Sharp Little Pencil
Brian, I cried when I wrote it, and I cry a little each time I sing it. If you listen to the recording on the amybarlowliberatore site, you’ll probably hear my throat catch just a little at the end. Thanks so much. I loved Jeffery so… Amy
Misk Cooks
This made me cry. It took several tries before I could finish reading it because I couldn’t see between my tears. Bitter-sweet, loving, and excruciating.
Sharp Little Pencil
Like I told a few other folks, not only did I cry writing it, I cry when I sing it. Hop over to my blog – it may take a moment to buffer, for some reason, but the song will play for you and you can hear me sing it… and cry while doing so. Thanks so much, Amy xo
Laurie Kolp
Amy- This is beautiful… you are an angel here on earth!
Sharp Little Pencil
What a sweet comment, Laurie. Thanks so much! Hope you go to the music site and hear me sing it… I cried during the recording, but whatever!! http://www.amybarlowliberatore.com Peace, Amy
christine
those angels are there, my Mother reached out to one moments before she died, beautiful song for a friend lost much too early Amy
Sharp Little Pencil
There’s never a good time to lose someone you love, is there. My mom did the same thing – reached right out, clutching at heaven. Thank you for letting me know I’m not the only one who saw that… Amy
Renee Espriu
I know these lyrics of yours and it still brings tears to my eyes, Amy. I will always miss Dennis no matter how many years he is gone. Thank You!
Sharp Little Pencil
Renee, most of us girls have our friends who have gone on before us, and much too soon. Just remember, they are surrounded by love now… Peace, Amy
kaykuala
Such a moving episode, Amy! You are blessed with your own measure of extending your faith and friendship to those who need them most. A noble sacrifice and a noble act many find difficult to emulate. Good natured beings have good things going for them. You are one such person, Ma’am!
Hank
Sharp Little Pencil
Hank, I’m not so noble, really. Just a friend who’s got your back. My friends are a close-knit group, and we all have each others’ backs. But in those days, the simple act of defiance – eschewing gloves and mask – made us all radicals in the eyes of hospital staff, that much is true. Thanks so much, Amy
zongrik
I know I learned to cry
The day I saw an angel fly -> nice
Sharp Little Pencil
Hope you were able to hear the song on my other site. I’m thinking of upgrading and bringing music here for more unity… that address is:
http://www.amybarlowliberatore.com and you click on the left hand upper corner “play” button. Appreciate your comments, Cyber! Amy
Debbie
Amy . . .what a gift this is. What He does through you and your songs and poetry is unique and needed. Thank you!
Sharp Little Pencil
Debbie, what a beautiful comment. And yes, I do thank God for these gifts. Especially music, which saved some of my self-esteem when I was a kid… Blessings, Amy
Old Ollie
This is part of the veil of tears. Sad, but so humanizing.
Sharp Little Pencil
A wise comment, Ollie, and most welcome. Peace, Amy
Old Raven
Wow. Just wow. I cannot begin to tell you what I think of you. There are no words. I was so happy without deep and unbearable sadness when I read this. My coping mechanism was to never go to funerals. Never. At first people didn’t understand, after a while they did. I did this work for thirteen years … I always have missed W.A.D. You are indeed special.
P.S. Thank you for the kind comment on my blog. It is also very good to hear from you again.
Sharp Little Pencil
So glad, too, that we are back in touch.
I remember those years, in the early 80s, living in the epicenter, NYC. So many memorials, funerals… I swear, I thought if I never saw another lily again it would be too damned soon. I was the first straight woman to walk into Gay Men’s Health Crisis and ask to volunteer. They didn’t know what to do with me… I was sent on lots of errands, mostly. Meanwhile, the man who would one day was working for AIDS Services of Austin, helping the guys down south… what a mess. To this day, I despise Ronald Reagan for denying the problem and not putting funding toward research. We could have gotten so far if it had been addressed in the beginning.
The fact that we have shared aspects of this experience endears you to me even more, honey. Peace to you. They are at peace already… Amy
thefisherlady
I really liked your song…but you truly had me crying all the way through. We have had many a baby die of Aids at tlc.org.za in South Africa and now that testing and treatment is done regularly to all babies they don’t lose them anymore.
I will share a song with you that was dedicated to the babies at TLC (The Love of Christ Ministries)
blessings to you
Sharp Little Pencil
I cannot tell you how touched I was by this video. I knew that Freddie was from Zimbabwe and his family name was Basala (sp?), also that he had grown up in India. The striking part of this is that Freddie is central to this video, evidence that anyone can contract AIDS. I lay a lot of blame for its unchecked spread on Ronald Reagan, who was the American president at the outset of “GRID” (“Gay Related ImmunoDeficienty”). It seemed as though as long as it was just gay men and drug addicts dying, that was fine and dandy for that self-professed Christian. The gall was unnerving, since Reagan was in the unique position of starting research right away; instead, his tenure of 1980-88 was marred by his non-reaction to the growing epidemic. The man would not ever SAY the word AIDS.
As for this ministry, thank God for the new antivirals being developed for children, who apparently are now being cured, or at least going into remission. Life with AIDS is made to sound on US media as “manageable,” but it’s actually hell on earth to keep up with meds, change them (one version was exploding the hearts of men all over NYC, including a dear friend of mine), and change them again. And STILL the conservatives are against teaching kids about condoms.
How many ways can you say “stupid Americans in power”? Yet this video gave me such hope, and I pray that hope is shared by other readers. Thank you so much for sharing this. I cried during the playing, as I did the whole time I wrote ‘Angel.” Bless you, Fisherlady! Love and peace, Amy
Tino
I popped over to your other blog to hear Rivers of Babylon and then saw this and had to listen as well. Its a beautiful piece and the best tribute you could ever pay anyone.
Sharp Little Pencil
Tino, I very much appreciate your work in tracking down my various posts and so grateful you like my music. It was an absolute tribute to Jeff, who fought a long, brave battle with AIDS – with extraordinary support from his partner, Christopher, who remains one of my closest friends. Thank you so much, Amy