winter waif 
winter wraith
wreathing trees 
with whispered trace 

skirting edges 
’neath the weighted eaves
footsteps soft 
around your knees 

winter hush
winter rush
brushing clouds 
with snowfall blush 

hands’ touch
soft upon your skin
ice veil lace drawn
eyelash thin 

winter night
winter sprite
laughter cold 
like starshine bright 

she’ll court you 
in the frozen wind 
among sleeping kind
and forest kin 

bare feet silent
over shifting snow
trails of silver
as she goes 

you’ll find her 
in the forest wind
in the spinning 
snowdust far within

a whisper among
the waiting trees 
winter waif
on a winter breeze 

[Clarabelle Miray Fields is a Rhysling-nominated, award-winning speculative writer from Boulder, Colorado, who writes about feminism, scifi, ancient myth, and the many spaces in between. She holds a BA in classical languages (summa cum laude, 2018) and currently serves as editor for Carmina Magazine, a publication dedicated to modern mythmaking. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys cold nights, dark skies, and dark coffee. Connect with her on Instagram @cfieldswriting or at https://clarabellefields.com.]