Embers

Heat from a blazing
pyre of wood embers
Radiating the darkened room
In flickering music
of a fantasy of light
Red orange dancers
bedazzling the black
Sooty crumbs falling
into a gray ashen hearth
And I relaxed here
in the comfort
of the crackling heat
Contented, two cats
stretched out beside
me in dreams

Heat from a
hot golden orange
fantasy, emanating
As flames flared up
and subsided
In rhythmic homage
to the sleepy calm
of a winter's evening
Happy voices in the
distance
Enjoying celebration
of a daughter's
achievement
A hurdle jumped
and a gateway
to life
And I gazed into
those embracing
embers
And smiled

Copyright ©
January 5, 1999
Michael David Coffey