cold december, dark hours

she glows in the darkness

silvers glimmer in the shadow

lambent as moon's light

refracted through thin clouds.

winters cold night.

december -

december.

when dark the hours stretch,

stretch out countless,

countless endless infinite,

infinite waiting.

he is there, spark leads him,

bright, she, catlike waited.

for his eyes will see now,

now, see through

shadows wall.

awakened, footfalls

footfalls echo

echo quiet

back and forth

red bricks vertical,

here in the place

where horses slept waited,

waited till she should return

return home in the night

what mother would

wish this for a daughter.

time and love

gone beyond

lost, forsaken.

she stood, stands there.

stands, where they left her

then safe, no risk

to make her own way

to the place where she,

was.

He -

It -

came to that place

by as chance,

as she.

friends and the night

in the place of music

they had gathered,

together there.

walking then to where

the minstrels sang

dancing, in celebration.

she was warm,

then,

she is not,

now.

she, still as stone.

hands raised,

supplication -

supplication -

prayers, hands,

on assyrian walls,

in the gesture of the fallen,

the captured,

the lost.

wrists bound together -

I kneel before the One

who holds my life,

in his hands.

Or to ward off the blow

as it falls.

it is the gesture -

Please do not demand of me

what is in your power,

to deliver.

bright, the spark waits, silent,

waiting.

who has led him here.

who thought it was but a dream,

from which he will awake

to find sun, light, day,

life -

waiting.

not nightmare

He is confusion,

now uncertain,

who sees upon her face,

so still,

so cold,

traces where

mascara has run

with her tears

(ran with her tears)

oh sweet child, how came you here?

eyes now closed,

now closed,

and still.

What dream is this?

he thought, thinks?

I thought,

I was dreaming.

I think I,

am dreaming,

dream.

bright, the spark waits, silent,

waiting.

he must touch her face

touch her face

touch

where her salt tears,

ran, slow drops falling.

such fear he has never seen

writ so, upon something

so beautiful.

she had been beautiful.

was beautiful, still.

silver she glimmering

in the dark before him.

shadows wall rise,

black bricked vertical.

there was hunger

in this place.

now reaches out
one finger

to brush

- touch

back

a hair

- touch

one hair

- touch

from her face
- touch

reaches out,

slowly