Under Blankets of Snow

Drafts from the thin walls of an ancient house

leave a chill in the air while I

watch snow fall outside the window, coating

branches of bare trees.

A thick blanket is over my legs,

my dog curls up beside me on the couch

content to look at the world outside with

his big brown eyes.

I inhale the spiced scent of chai tea

sweetened with soy milk and sprinkled

cinnamon. There's no fire crackling since

I've never lived in a home with a fireplace,

but the silence suits me just as well.

In these moments, childhood memories

overlap with my present life as an adult to

create a realm of comfortable nostalgia

that I never want to leave.