Day 6: Smoke from the Chimney (The Hearth)

7 Days of Late Autumn | Day 6: Smoke from the Chimney

A thin, white ribbon of wood smoke curls from the neighbor’s roof,

 perfuming the twilight with the scent of cedar and ash. 

Outside, the wind is biting, tearing at the final, 

stubborn leaves on the hedges.

But inside, the kettle is whistling. 

The sweater is thick, 

and the mug warms the palms of my hands. 

This is the truce we make with late autumn: 

we surrender the outside world so we can rediscover the sanctuary of the inside.

 The colder the air gets, the sweeter the fire feels.