the night is freezing fast

and under a starless ceiling the fumes flood in like plumes of breath in February-frosted air fusty flu fumes gas fumes though there is no flue just phlegm tar-sticky in snow-stung lungs this winter a whiteout of words snow-diamond freeze down on my luck down on my knees in every way on the floor not only before the oven door whatever lies beyond snow-soft the little cloth cushioning my cheek the bell jar of night presses in and upon stifling candle buds that fade to dull blue duds the bone-hooded moon grows cold and glows above the shaken turning globe the voiceless snow fatal flowers begin to bloom in arbours of arteries heart-hued like the fuchsia's blood bells like the roses I bled from everything blood-bright vein flames that blazed in vain igniting a touchpaper of pain whatever lies beyond *Lines 12 and 16 reference words from Sylvia Plath's poems 'By Candlelight' and 'Medusa' The title is borrowed from A.E. Housman's poem 'The Night Is Freezing Fast' 12 May 2023