this tentative ice

 frost coats the surface of my emotion

steadily falling snow dots the frozen water, lending it an air of mystery, intrigue, depth

i see the fathomless abyss, the temptation despite the looming thalassophobia

my fingers are pink with exposure, my mouth parts with damp heat

every breath i gasp in sends spirals of snow into my veins

i wish for oblivion,  wish for exhilaration

there are metal blades on my feet, i wobble across the ice

unsteady on my feet, knees knocking, breath stuttering

i want to chip my teeth on the ice, i want to lick the frost and be immobilized

i want ice to silver my tongue 

black ice, reddened ice, the snow that dots my hair and tumbles around my huddled shoulders

the other bank beckons 

it's too tantalizing, the concept of opposites, foils, an ear reddened by blood

and so i skate across the lake, feet pumping, eyes wide, fingers stretching

 the ice quivers under my weight, water buckling and the sheets shuddering

but from the way i'm shooting across the surface, I might as well be flying