Warmth

Warmth, that lovely feeling

That suffuses the summer

Borne by brilliant sunshine

Transforming air and stone,

In springtime it is welcome

Its return cherished

As it guarantees the return

Of life,

In autumn it is held close

Against the coming chill

Slipping through our fingers

Leaving our toes to cool,

Such is the warmth of sunshine

Waxing and waning with seasons

Taken for granted in its presence

Longed for in its absence,

When the days turn cold

There are other sources

Burning bright and proud

Fire is praised by many,

The hearthfire that warms the house

The bonfire that lights up the night

The lantern that guides us home

The candle that warms our heart,

There are many forms of warmth

Those for body, those for soul, those for heart

Those whose gifts cross boundaries

From physical to intangible,

The fire that heats the air and cheers the heart

The lantern that warms the hands and brings hope

The stove that cooks dinner and symbolizes home

The candle that holds back the dark and cold,

There is an intangible warmth

That shines brighter than all the rest

That needs no material base

Merely responsive hearts,

The gentle heat of family

That is stable as the stove

Warming the hearth and home

Providing safe harbor,

There is the bright flash of friendship

A candelabra that flares with synergy

When it is not shining

A steady stream of welcoming photons,

There are complex constructs

Of all of the above

That together warm body, heart, and soul

For the greatest warmth of all, is love.