prayer

i.
slowly, coldly.
growing as blue
in the lips,
frostbit.
dull shudder of
hips and clouded sight.
sounds thick
as old ice,
muttering low
under distant
slosh of consonants.


ii.
holy, holy.
glowing like future-proof
writs.
lost kids,
pulled rudders list
till out of sight.
sound and lake,
cove and tide
mulling over
one decision
costing continents.


iii.
hold me,
going through
this.
stop,
dull,
quit these
wounds.
show me
mercy, not
want and
loss.