Reading Before The Fire

The dark room behind me

The fire aglow to the fore

Orange reflections in my whisky glass

Cosy behind my closed door

***

I lift my favourite book

Settle my glasses on my nose

Take a sip of the amber liquid

And feel the pleasant burn down my throat

***

Outside the wind, it howls

The rain taps on my windowpane

But before the fireplace

And the warm dancing of the flames,

***

I sip and gently turn the pages

And I feel myself relax

Into realms of fantasy

Where swords may clash and dance

***

Or into the worlds of humour

Comedy galore

That shuts my real life worries

Behind my old front door

***

Sometimes I sip my whiskey

And poke the fire’s coals

And read fine love sonnets

As I bathe in the golden glow

***

For every mood a story

A song or beautiful poem

To chase away life’s demons

And bring life’s wonder home

***

While others like to dance,

Run, game or indeed watch TV

My happiness comes from a crisp new book

And from within its pages, I dream