the end of the world: lizard (i)

before there was a word for ice
--who could say?
something fell
with no word for air
what thickened, what hardened?
they
       didn't know to shiver
tongues flicking
tasting, for the first time
bitterness
they sank
        in a circle
lower
   but it was below them
the thing inside
grew inexorably slower
        they bowed low
and their limbs grew heavy

the wind bit
     scales and ruffled the grass

slowly, slowly
one came to know ruffling

    the continents flew and ground
and in the grass
  the skin on one
was grinding--

                           until the scales began to lift, 
in the wind