Autumn Charm: A Poem

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Soft fleece pulled over my hands, cradling a warm ceramic mug like a new-born. Precious and cosy. Comforting smells. Smoke uncoiling into nothingness. A luscious pool of hot chocolate, marshmallows melting like The sorry Snowman.

Descending, and bubbling away into nothing. A swirl, stir and then tapped twice on the side. Metal on ceramic. Chink chink! Gulp. Sigh. Eyes closed and a liquid hug trickling down my throat. Earthy, sugary cocoa. 

Wafts from freshly baked rolls rising. Blessed bread, laced with cinnamon and sugar.  Medallions of comfort, sticking to the plastic wrapper, teasing each customer in the coffee shop.  

The clash of warm air with the crisp fog outside. Cardamom and ginger chai sprinkled in the frosty air. Bringing India to Leicester. Licking of sticky lips, as that Salted Caramel shortcake crumbles around you. 

Candles flickering nearby, flames flashing through a copper lantern. Bringing out the shards of honey in dark eyes. Twinkling of fairy lights and pinecones strewn artfully across a hearth. Musty books waiting patiently next to a roaring fire. Tales of pixies and pumpkins. Waiting. Waiting for someone to plonk down onto the plump sofa and study. 

A shiver, and then jumpers embraced tightly, sleeves stretched down more, and scarves knotted tightly. Toes tucked safely inside woolly boots, treading on gold and sienna leaves. Each one decorated with its own veins. Curled up and weather-beaten like papyrus. Lazily drifting along in the wind.