winter loving.

you held me once, a great while ago,
in the cold light of the rain outside your window.
the trees grew thick and young about your house

but their thin branches could not stand under
the weight of the snow that fell that winter.

that was the winter you twisted your fingers in my hair and kissed me.
you used to sing then, sing that song to me, that hallelujah.

our love wasn't all-consuming, but it was.

the shape of you was simplelikesleep and
sometimes like the closing of eyes.

once i think you asked me if death was the true tyranny of humanity

(i think) i shook my head.

but i was lost in you by then and
blinded by the snow climbing along your windowsill.
i couldn't see past the shadow of you.
and you couldn't remember anything but the curve of my legs against yours.