When he first saw her

She was walking on icicles

Lashes frozen

Prickly

Like ice thistles

Summer frozen

Deep in a clear bed

But nonetheless visible

And he knew that when he came close enough

Her ice thistle lashes

Would melt

And they would be soft to the touch

Soft on his warm fingers

So he climbed over the icicles

Sharp ends pointing upwards

So that with one wrong move

He would be thrust down

Ice through his body and out his back

Blood freezing on the sharp points

So carefully and slippery he made his way across

And by the time he got to her

Icicles had melted into water

And her lashes were soft on his fingers

But they both knew that if

He had not followed her prickle heart

It would still be frozen

Deep within the icicles

She had frozen around herself

So spring embraced