At Christmas, by the fire's gentle glow,
The secrets shared, a whispered, silent flow.
My nephews, bright, with eyes so full of glee,
And my sweet niece, a sight for all to see.
The firelight dances on their youthful faces,
As sticky marshmallows leave their sticky traces.
The scent of chocolate, warm and sweet and deep,
A tapestry of memories to keep.
We toast our smores, a sticky, sweet delight,
As secrets bloom in the warm, festive light.
Of wishes whispered to the falling snow,
And dreams that only Christmas can bestow.
The world outside is sleeping, hushed and white,
But here, within, the fire burns so bright.
And in this haven, safe and warm and low,
The seeds of future secrets start to grow.
So let the embers flicker, red and gold,
As tales of wonder, young and new, unfold.
For in this moment, simple, pure, and true,
A family's bond is born anew.
together huddled by the fireplace
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Hot and not lukewarm
Steamy and electrifying
All the right moves and places
Totally smooth
Angles covered
The theme would be “LOVE ON FIRE”
Here and there leading to everywhere
Passion with its own temperature set
Beyond in able
Journey into ecstasy
Propelling through the love portal
Into new heights
Acceleration with no stop
No quinch of thirst just breathless
Volume just right
Loving words even hotter
Fulfilled journey
Mission Control over and out
Extinguished not needed
Proven right
Temperature back to normal
Relaxed and delight
Red
brick hearth
casts love’s spark
lush Yuletide “flames”
glow
frost
chilled pane
crackling flame
place of comfort
warmth
warm
golden
fire burning
sweet flames crackling
hot
flames
licking
long lost dreams
enlightens eye
glows
eyes
gazing
dream as one
drawn by magic
flame
warm
cuddling
you and me
want more kisses
love
the chill of a lazy rainy sunday
a good book by the fireplace
surely this is food for the soul
AP: 3rd place 2025
Uncle Eugene’s breaking down.
Murmurs come from the room down the hall -
Surgery. Blood clot. A third kind of cancer.
“It’s just a matter of time.”
But for now, I’m laying by the fire,
warmth seeping into my bones.
My grandparents are alive,
one falling into incoherence,
but not bad yet.
My mother is here.
My father is upstairs.
We are under one roof.
And I am escaping into a written world
by the warmth of the fire.
The world outside is cold,
and eventually I must face the chill
for the sake of my dog
and because time marches forever forward
with graceless strides.
But for once, my mind is calm,
and I will drape myself with this moment
when the wind picks back up.
Sounds of wood crackling,
Our hearts warm and so aglow.
Outside……twinkling snow!
12/26/2024
Fireplace in Christmas flair
Christmas Cards hung with care
The warmth from the Fireplace
Winter winds surround all over the place
Christmas Tree all lit
Everything having the right fit
The reason for the season
Family and Friends among
Dazzled in Christmas delight
Christmas Front and Center in sight
Christmas Cheer
The feeling of Christmas throughout the atmosphere.
dogs lie at my feet
worn out from constant napping
fire pops lively
i must take a snooze
taking a page from their book
a fireplace nap
Sitting in front of the fire place with similar souls
Logs burning,
Fire crackling,
Heat radiating,
As we enjoy some much needed chill and laughter
Marshmallows roast as preparation for the smores treat
We all exchanged short stories, creative ideas, and humorous jokes
Clinked glasses while the laughter metamorphose choking
All's wells that starts well...
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