The distinctive crack of shifting ice
echos in fearful ears
and time seems to stand still.
A graceful dark mass nears
then stills as much as you.

Eyes follow the near invisible crack
that zig zags its danger
to shift weight would be insane.
Lock eyes with the shadow stranger
are they there to help you?

The cracking ice sound silenced
the song of warming nature
and nothing could be heard.
The shadow lacks temperature
and you've always lacked patience.

There's water pooling from warmth
walking on ice in such weather
is a poor decision at best.
A shadow weighs less than a feather
while you weigh like many rocks.

Waiting for night to freeze again
is too long of a tempestuous wait
so slide your feet and your mass.
The shadow watches you aggravate
the ice so much that it breaks.

The ice breaks more as you struggle
but you were too far out
the nature remains silent.
The shadow lingers as you shout
and even after the sounds stop.

Time passes and the silence leaves
nature's voices echo contagiously
the lingering shadow hovers.
It reaches for the water shamelessly
pulling at the tragedy so patiently.

And out it pulls a shadow
of who you used to be.
Both float away from the ice
and dissipate in the trees.