Speak of tears and frost,
and stolen cherries.
Hunt the woods
for wild mushrooms.
Gallop dark horses
through drifts of snow.
The samovars are filled
with spiced tea,
the brindled hounds
asleep at our feet.
Tell the story again
of how we waltz,
the silver mirrors
that spill our secrets,
white lilacs
shaken
from a black branch,
and how we kiss
when there is nothing left
except the rain.

Gabrielle Langley’s first book of poetry, Azaleas on Fire, was released in 2019. She has received the Lorene Pouncey Award, Houston Poetry Fest’s Jury Prize, and the Vivian Nellis Memorial Prize, as well as three Pushcart nominations. Her work has appeared internationally in a variety of literary journals and anthologies. Additional information about this poet is available at  http://www.gabriellelangley.com.