Thoughts on Elizabeth's birthday

When I think of Elizabeth, I think of her head on her cat's head, kissing his nose, her voice coming from the other room, laughing on the phone, her walking miles through the city, in her fringed suede boots, in her sneakers with the holes in them. 


She was raised reading Harry Potter, listening to Harry Potter on tape, going to Harry Potter movies.  She was part of the Harry Potter nation, the Harry Potter generation who are now graduating from college.  She thought of her cafeteria at school as part of Hogwarts, and it did share a certain grandeur, with its open atrium high ceilinged space, with Hogwarts.


Elizabeth wrote notes in a tiny precise hand writing.  She put her long straight hair up in a bun.

Today I went swimming in the Delaware, and did the back stroke so that I could look at the swallows darting for bugs.  I thought of her.

Book Fund at Packer Collegiate

Today there was a reception to view photography books purchased in Elizabeth's name for the library at Packer.

Books by Lisette Model, for instance.

And Meatyard

Kertesz

Erwin Olaf

And pictures of New York by

Ruth Orkin

And one by Klein of Tribeca, after snow

I felt very elegiac, and overwhelmed by the emotion of returning to the school, the first time since the memorial service over three years ago.  So many of her teachers were there, people who mattered deeply to Elizabeth's education, people who taught her what she should be.  People like Eric Baylin, who read this poem:

Elizabeth's Books

Through her eyes a photograph unfolded
Through her gaze surface grays and blacks began to breathe,
     gave way to stories.
Faces came alive
Through her careful looking.

And so these books - Elizabeth's - are filled with surfaces to be
    plumbed through quiet gazing.
For years beyond our own a string of curious minds will find in these
    new ways of looking, new ways of thinking
And through their eyes and in that trail of small epiphanies, lighted
     moments stretching past our view,

She will be gazing still.

Eric Baylin
April 22, 2010

Nine Months

 

I have grieved for you as long as I carried you in my belly

Obviously I liked being pregnant more

this state is torture

You are just gone

vanished

I know what happened to your body

but I don’t know about your soul

I want to speak to you so much

and hear your voice

I read your notebook today

so fresh alive

you said my mom is so sad

If people are capable of change

I am changing every day

but one thing is constant

I thought I was bringing you in to the world to grow old

I thought I would get to see you middle aged

none of that

none

of

that

When you were a baby Liza and I rocked you around the house

bouncing you on my hip

singing I’m an old cow hand

from the rio grande

any old song that would cheer you

calm you down to

slumber

I sang you lullabies

Do you  remember the one

All the pretty little horses

Oh darling

I am lost  

Beauty

The bearded iris in bloom --
the leaves newly opened --
she cannot see these --
and her beauty we cannot see --
This is how we are all diminished
and almost crushed

This is one of my favorite pictures of Elizabeth's. I feel as if she is waving goodbye but lingering. Her presence is there in the disembodied arm. She knows we are looking for her through the darkened window as we glimpse what once was, and the wreath of leaves that continue to grow.

Memorial bench at St. Luke's Church Garden on Hudson Street

The bench is nearest the Hudson St. south garden, in the sun. Elizabeth liked to sit in the sun, so we chose the sunniest spot there. The plaque reads "In memory of Elizabeth G. Aakre."

How do you get there?
The Church of Saint Luke in the Fields is located at 487 Hudson Street, in Greenwich Village, New York City, at the intersection of Hudson Street and Grove Street. Directions are here at this link.

Garden Hours
NOTE – the closing times may vary due to Church and/or School functions.

Hudson Street North Garden Gate
(Main gate – 487 Hudson Street)
Monday- Saturday 7am-8pm; Sunday 7am-7pm.

Rector’s Garden Gate
Monday–Thursday 10am-5;30pm.

Barrow Street gate to South Garden
Daily 8am-8pm (dusk during the winter).

Hudson Street Gate to South Garden
Monday-Saturday 10am-8pm (dusk during the winter)
Sunday 11am-6:30pm

from Nicholas Alciati, Elizabeth's cousin

Photograph of Nick Alciati after production of Footloose, 2005






I started off middle school not sure where I was heading in life. Although I was playing football and running track, I felt as though something was missing in my life. I had always been active in the arts but had shut off the creative side of my brain during this time. Fortunately a golden haired, beautiful girl changed that for me.


I remember floating down the river in our tubes and just talking about everything from her blossoming interest in photography to how stupid she thought the band the Postal Service was. She was one of the only people in my life who I could be fully open with, unafraid of judgment. Elizabeth had an aura to her unlike anyone I have ever met in my 19 years of existence. Everytime I was around her I felt complete happiness and did not hold anything back. If it were not for her I am almost certain that I would not be heading down the path I am. I am now a second year art education major and have decided to concentrate in photography in Elizabeth’s honor. Although she is no longer with us, I still feel her presence every time I snap a picture.

It’s still hard to live life without Lizzy. She was my city mouse and I, her country mouse. I would go to the city and be amazed at the culture and action and she would come to Syracuse and be amazed at the cheap prices. She loved to go to target and the local art supply store just to buy some cheap lotion and pens. Our times playing videogames were also memorable. Although I had never really like playing them, when Elizabeth came to my house we could get lost in Mario Party. Patty never liked that being a librarian and all, but Lizzy packed in the reading as well.

She was a brilliant girl and an inspiration to all she knew. It’s been a hard year and a half, but we all must celebrate her life. If it were not for her I can completely say that I would not be the person I am today. I’m not afraid to break away from societal conformity because of my beautiful Elizabeth. I love you Elizabeth and think of you everyday. You are my angel, and the reason that I keep living my life carefree and creatively.

Other People's Photographs

from Peter Cohen's collection


There is a documentary being shown at Jefferson Market Library Monday, May 12, about snapshots people collect from flea markets, etc. -- something Elizabeth used to do. She had a number of these which she found and kept. Click on the title ("Other People's Photographs") to see more about the movie and the pictures.

River Reporter publishes article

Local Narrowsburg, NY newspaper the River Reporter printed an article about the book fund a group of us (summer house share folks) established to honor Elizabeth's memory. Happy to see the fund get the notice, though wish the editors had used the photo of Elizabeth we sent to them. It was from summer 2006, she was enjoying floating in a tube in the pond at Ackerman Road house. I think it's now on this site. If the article doesn't appear below, it will soon...I'm figuring that part out!

Invitation to contribute

This is an invitation to post and comment to this blog. You can become a contributor if you like. The blog was meant as a way for as many people to contribute as liked to, as a collaborative effort. There is now a counter to see if it is being viewed since there are so few comments. And then the comments are anonymous. It would be good to have comments and contributions from those of you who have found the blog meaningful to you. As her mother, I don't want to dominate the conversation, but also would understand if you don't feel up to being a contributor. It would just be good to hear from people. For instance, how many would like to have the video back?
Patty

Book funds in Elizabeth's name

Anyone who knew Elizabeth knew how much she loved to read.
We have been memorializing her with book funds. So far they are:

Tusten Cochecton Library
Narrowsburg, NY 12764

This is where we spent summers from when she was six until she died.

CBA Library
6245 Randall Rd.
Syracuse, NY 13214

Lizzy's grandfather, Leonard P. Markert, Jr., started a book fund at the Christian Brothers Academy library in Syracuse where his father graduated in 1918. There is a kiosk with Elizabeth's name on it there.

At the Polling Place

My name is always first
above my husband's
first initial P
before first initial R
Even though I always forget which district
I'm in, the ladies at the tables are nice
They turn the pages of the big spiral bound notebook
to our signatures. There is my name
and Richard's, but above both of ours
for the first time is another.
I wonder, whose?

It is our daughter's,
aged eighteen, who had registered
to vote, but never got to because she died.
What would you do? I came to vote
for president, but I stood there and I cried.

Thanks to the Agliatas for the pictures

Angus and Elizabeth

Elizabeth and Emma K.

Lizzy and Angus in matching coats