Sheet of black,
to deeper, grey haze.
Stoke the fire,
rise,
and burn the cold.
Summer somewhere,
but here,
a weak heartbeat.
Life hibernates
in solitude.
Harden the heart further.
Freeze the flesh in minutes.
Takes away the breath,
like a kick to the gut,
or news
of a dying lover.
Drags out for months;
a persistent, clean sickness.
Fear in the words, now,
not only touching the eyes,
but a trembling hand,
a quivering lip,
and a stammering tongue.
Can a body forget to breathe?
Frozen,
the heart cannot beat.
Soon,
the eyes glaze over,
and the skin turns red,
then blue,
then waxy yellow.
Venture into this land
at your peril.
HG – 2021
