My Winter Rose

We lived

in paradise,

you + I

where tropical birds sang

sweet melodies in fruit trees,

freshly painted sunsets hung

nightly over the waters,

+ the tiniest of sea shells rolled

in with the tide

but one day, I lifted

my gaze to the sun-kissed

sky, only to find

a sullen grey

cold

clouds

krept

+

creeped

into

our

comfort

+ released

a frozen

flood

our paradise had never

known a winter--birds' serene song silenced,

frosted fruit trees trapped

in cold time, sunset swirls succumbed

to sudden darkness, wistful waters frozen

mid-wave

there were

no more tiny sea shells,

just

sheets

of

ice

but you bloomed

as the sky

continued

to

fall

I gazed

at you, drawn

with desperation

to the light

of your firey hue, setting

the snowflakes ablaze,

sparking as

they fell

tears

from

fear

froze

fast

down my

face

as I

fell

to the

frozen

earth

my spirit hovered

there, in + out

of nightmares, of life--only opening

my eyes to see

you

still

safely

standing

strong

it's now day

347 + I escaped

a nightmare to

feel a little light

on my frozen

face

I opened

my eyes to your

stem

reaching

high

for the sun

I believe our Spring

has finally

come

soon

I'll see

the tiny seashells

again

+ I'll collect

them with

you