I wrote a poem for our work poetry contest for our holiday party, so here it is.
Heart of Winter
Angel feathers fall from a cotton sky
As the arctic wind pinches my strawberry nose.
I pull the wool scarf my mother knit, up around my face,
Blinking with frost laden lashes.
Cinnamon steam swirls from my mug,
Lifting with it the scent of apple, orange and brandy.
One sip extinguishes the chill, a warm hug from the inside out.
Inside children sit near a playful fire,
Bathed in its flickering warmth,
Reading stories of pirates and books of adventures in the clouds,
Hours slipping by without a care.
The tree in the corner nestles down on kaleidoscope boxes,
Her bows protecting them like a mother hen,
Dressed in a sparkling cacophony of color.
Night emerges and peaceful silence settles in,
Crackles and pops from a dying fire sparsely interrupting.
Back and forth the chair rocks, as eyelids droop and conscious wanes.
Sleep encroaches quietly and a carefully placed blanket becomes a warm embrace
In the heart of winter.
