Absolute Zero

I nearly forgot them,
these letters strung together
into meaning,
meaning into phrases,
phrases into something bigger
than the way sound emerges
from the mouth
and sings
like we never forgot
the word defined
for this kind of cold
and snow that hardens
into impossible ice.

I nearly forgot
that I matter
in that cold
destination
and that my heart
was not shattered
at some unrealistic touch.

I nearly forgot
that love often displays
a glowing light of neon
in the darkest March
that pulses
and gradually erases
winter and that loneliness
is not frozen into everything
like generational glaciers
that will never thaw
even over steaming black coffee
and daring cream with raw
sugar.

Help me forget
the grip of icy breath
that held me so still
for so long
and threatened to crack,
surrender soundlessly,
and once witnessed
absolute zero
and all that stark
and jagged truth.