Ice Bear is the cold heart of winter.

When summer looms, a hungry omen,

frost fleets like frightened chickadees.

Ice Bear’s instinct bleeds snow red.

Here, wind swallows grief & footprints

but the ice still crawls beside him

as bony fingers in the sea, curling

beckoning him to come back home.

He kneels only once. Once

when he sees huskies to kill.

Ice Bear is ruin & Ice Bear is tired.

Then, a king so lonely

lays down to rest with dogs.