You can put meat in the ice chest
but that doesn't make it any less raw
Just conserving its substance until the thaw

Like the wound you carved in my chest
that has the rawness of day one
Of day two, at best

In keeping it from rotting, I've preserved your power
Beneath frozen crystals that sparkle like your eyes do
Like my eyes used to

You froze my heart, twice
Paused it with your hand when it first grazed mine
Made it rigid again with your final line

So I'm putting it all out on the counter
to begin the emancipating thaw
Hoping the runoff floods my essence and carries away your presence