first kiss

frozen
water
and
time

we
worked
all day to
carve out
a trough in
white
snow now
gray and
muddy

she
was filled
with
the terror
of jesus
and
hell

but
as we
tempted
death and
injury
thumbing our red
noses at
fear
the way only
children do
and have
always
done

and always
will

she
leapt up
and
kissed me

i fell

in love
before

i knew

what that
meant

that
moment
remains
frozen

and
the wound
has
never
truly

healed