Snow. Much snow. Ice. A cottage.

The small gnomes were digging underground

their tiny spades shining in the lamplight.

The world of fairy stories. And I turned

another page. The whole alphabet

was lovely icicles, needles. You were there

whitely lying on a white bed.

There was a crown of blossom on your hair

syringes rings, blue Icelandic nurses.

The small crystal radios were hung

among reindeer, birches, bearish furs.

The cottage crumples slowly. It is going

down to a white plate like blancmange.

The gnomes are digging busily. I see

their neon spades flickering, their hands

are small and yellow. In reality

I turn another page, crackling like ice.

Oh love how long ago it all was.

The white earth is pleading with black heaven

demanding justice, demanding more than justice.