I Couldn'T Stop The Spirit Poem by Patti Masterman

I couldn't stop the spirit from leaving-
I saw it leaving from the eyes first,
A waving goodbye was there, as of small white flags;
Or departing reflections from the present
Desire to be no more, to fly away to no matter where-

I couldn't stop the hands from shaking-
Small and cold sweaty hands, like fishes made of flesh,
Quaking like the too-fast heartbeat
Of something too small and terrified to survive long;
Something that wished to hide from the piercing eyes of forever-

I couldn't stop the words, couldn't stop the flow-
Words like blood, flowing from opaque purple wounds,
From the central stony statue of the heart’s switchboard,
From the bitter caverns of the mouths silent quivering:
The murder of something priceless, that could only sing goodbye.