you bend with the ease of eaves, fragile spine groaning beneath the weight of an unexpected frost, an icy exhale from lips you used to kiss, lips that would breathe halcyon days. how chilling in the eye of the storm, not a branch dare quiver, not a twig dare shudder, not a word dare uttered. you are left with the life snatched right out of your lungs, a heart crystallized in disregard. do you remember what being unashamed was, do you remember solidity and dexterity and clarity, do you remember anything do you remember yesterday how you got here why you’re here do you remember how it got so cold and how everything was still and the sky was a blurred afterthought in the downfall of snow do you remember lying on your back and listening for silence and stillness and how if you stared hard enough you would start to rise and float endlessly like the thread tied to your ribs was being pulled

but you are pinned by icicles

you are pinned by what isn’t

by what you aren’t