little fingers felt the wrinkles
my fingers fat between
the withered bark
it seemed so simple
when I began to dream

I dreamed of crying vultures                    
I drank the falling rain                               
I sank beneath the sopping earth
and then I drank again

I sprouted in the winter        
through a torso made of frost
the sunlight hid behind the clouds
celebrating Pentecost

I reached towards the stars
the irony not lost
taunting moon
harpoon sky   
little fingers
made of
frost

reaching to
the light
circling
spiralling
higher
frag
ments forming
in the spine

silent
cracking
spire

sunbeams
burst

clouds
open

light spears
through
the heart

the winter gods
have
spoken

echo
fall
apart

shatter light implosion
splintered glinting sky
raining frozen ocean
swarming silent ice

foetal in the aftermath
curling sundered clouds
sunshine settles
on my back          
steaming
arrogant
proud

little fingers felt the wrinkles
my fingers fat between
the withered bark it seemed so simple
when I began to dream.