an ice dragon’s breath first freezes
then warms you, play thing,
grants you the freedom of his pen
invisible wherein he’s placed you
illusion of a life
slowly, from the edges,
his freeze-cold artistry creeps in
frosting this illusion
creeping to your heart
to show everything’s already lost
and everything you’ve found is taken
all your warmth denied
discounted in his polar certainties
one of those who claim to know of worlds
biased by his scaly skin
ice breath armoured with a fire
lord protector of the fearful innocent

A. H / K. H-H (4 February 2019)