time is a splinter

hold fast, young woman
to babe and dream
fast is beauty to your heart as countenance
—more, and beams

do not fret, it beams

damn height and Nietzsche
damn medicine and age
love's bell echos
love's a sage

young voices crackle warm under hearth
and wood for winter plenty
time will pare in time of need
our warm hearts are scarce twenty

hold fast to love 
warm bones pass winter
hold fast to hope
time's a splinter