On the hearth

On the hearth

there is a fireplace

it has a pile of chopped logs,

coals,

torn up pieces of newspaper

awaiting their burnt endings

On the hearth

a fire burns

flickering and crackling

stretching tall

shrinking down

feeding off the flammable materials

surviving off of them

On the hearth

a fire burns

and in the house it is warm

comfortable

firelight dancing across the walls

as people gather around the fire

mugs of various drinks trapped in their hands

a melancholy, nostalgic, calm demeanor

as someone starts singing

Oyfin pripetchik brent a fayerl

Un in shtub iz heys