There was a frozen winter day
Once long, oh years ago,
And all the trees were black with ice;

The hills all bathed in snow.

And I was wand'ring quite alone,
All through the silent fall,
Musing on your lovely face;

And hurting from it all.

And suddenly upon my path
I spied a footprint light
Where none had been before, I saw;

A little shoe's delight.

And round I looked in sudden pause
For I had shed a tear
And hoped that not a soul had seen;

Nor had they been so near.

And out from in the forest shown
A little shadow's form
A girl, a child, all pale and slight;

Who wandered far from home.

Her hair was black as raven wings
Her cheek pale as the snow,
Her lips were red like holly fruit;

Her eyes as dark as coal.

Her dress was sable as spilled ink
And frost adorned in lace
The little sleeves, and on her throat;

A velvet choker placed.

And she crept down from out her trees,
And took me by the hand
She whispered she could ease my pain;

And lead me to her land.

Her fingers felt like ice and I
Shivered so at their touch,
But truth be told I well knew cold;

From missing you so much.

And so I took her at her word,
Followed her through the trees,
And when I knew not where we were;

I sank down to my knees.

I told her all the things I kept
Locked up inside my heart,
I looked to her as seraphim;

To ease my pain and hurt.

For her steps no lasting footprint left,
Her weight no twig could break,
The snow absorbed into her skin;

Her voice no breeze would make.

I asked her what the meaning was,
For I was sure she knew,
I begged her for an answer then;

To why I covet you.

She told me she was shade and sun,
That she would tell me all,
"But pull the velvet round my throat;

And you will surely know."

My fingers stiff and blue with cold
I tugged the velvet cord,
And my savior's head fell in the snow;

Without another word.

And suddenly the world was white
And not a trace was left,
I held a velvet ribbon and;

My answer close as death.

And I laid down among the snow,
I closed my weary eyes,
For I had found and lost my chance;

To strip off your disguise.

And you will live inside my heart-
Even in numbing cold-
A hum of lightning melting me;

Until I'm weak and old.

For I will love you all the year,
Through storms and sunny days,
And I will have no answers for
The whys or hows or ways.