the boy lost himself in the whirling winds of eternity, infinity,

paced through the forest of youth with age creeping at his ankles

and the sun, she slept beneath blankets of ice cream clouds

and the ice cream clouds turned to sugar snowflakes

painting the forest floor

and when the watch on his bony wrist clicked to a halt

(both hands at twelve)

he unfastened the metal latch and let it fall into the shallow snow.

and he kicked off his shoes, threw his jacket upon the ground.

leapt and shouted, "Free."

and fell face first into the snow beside his watch

(which began to tick)

and he could not get up and his jacket was cast aside

and he froze and died.