Hypothermic…

I met her
in April
when I took her hand
as together we stood, in a springtime storm
the rain ran down our faces and over our lips
and no words were needed

We danced
under the cerulean dome
of our summer palace
my eyes focused on her blushing cheeks
as the world beyond us smeared into hues of passion
in August she held my hand to her chest and asked for one more dance

In Autumn’s reverent halls, she struggled to speak
October’s dying breaths sent puffing steam to twilight heavens
the crackle of fallen leaves and the echo in quiet places
was the anthem and fanfare to our union
evenings came sooner, and longer were the hours before dawn
soon, the pyre wood was stacked awaiting fate’s flame

I knelt there in the circle of fading light
and through my knees, digging into the ashes, I could feel the warmth ebbing
Winter knelt across from me, a sovereign dressed in grey
She removed her frosted crown and placed it on the ground between us
between my broken summer heart and what could no longer be
She had granted us the Fall, but our unspoken accord promised nothing past her coronation

and I,
finding no words to express an appeal which she might hear within this court
I,
yielded to the dusk
and trusted my soul to find its own way back home