Sunday, May 31, 2009

Untitled

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:

c-icu said...

Serious.

Lorne Roberts said...

golly. the last stanza doesn't quite tie it up, i feel, but otherwise, yep-- serious and fabulous, in a morbid sort of way.

cara said...

dark and delicate.

anita said...

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.