Jade Dust

silver notes ring bright-

 

have you ever heard

essence of moonlight

encapsulated on flying strings

 

my feet leave imprints

on the snow: like ash

a trail of feathers, echoes

a little bird froze tonight

 

under the light of the fire

i scrape at a stone

leaves my fingers sticky

with jade dust

hold it up to the flames

gleams like amber

but colder, a dragonfly

the forgotten line

shattered perfect cylinder

a last rhyme

 

these nights it feels heavy

black carbon: the stern bow

remnants of decayed wood

stretch the yellowing hair

tighter, tighter

scrub at it with frozen amber

until it glows white

as the frost, until it shines

pretend it is not aging

pretend it is still new

 

my twisted reflection

glares back up at me

baleful eyes, cold hands

strands snap like sinew

moonlight spills across

scarred hands, carries

the scent of rowan

from a summer day.