Your paralysis was contagious
I smiled
and you
just
stared
back
black pupils
black holes
As if to say
you can't turn back time
mister
know-it-all
at least not right now
It was never quiet
and you can't
turn on silence
and then
your eyes
rolled back
into your head
I called for help
but I was stopped
by the way
you just lay there
Barely breathing
never laughing
calm
when you
were just
sleeping
That's how
we wanted
you to stay
I really
don't know
why
because
you can't
sleep
forever
It's just because
those machines
are keeping
you alive
They are
beeping
and
whirring
while
spirits
are cleaning
out
a space
making
a tiny
place
for your soul
to stay in
So
close the doors
shut the windows
prepare syringes
shut your eyes
Everyone always wonders
what it's like to be free
Mother earth could swallow you
so please
just let it be
4 comments:
Serious.
golly. the last stanza doesn't quite tie it up, i feel, but otherwise, yep-- serious and fabulous, in a morbid sort of way.
dark and delicate.
Well yeah, it's tough with kids. I thought I had a relatively stable point of view about death until I saw babies and their families being faced with it. It's a whole new reorientaton of understanding life and death.
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