Hygge Feature #2 Togetherness

Armchair Lullaby

Such peace
in the way he creases
the nook of my shoulder.
Hair that smells of air and fresh grass
fans my jumper, slightly damp.

Our breath, slow in, slow out,
heads bobbing back and forth –
he is a coracle riding my chest rolls.
The gift of his weight. His gentle suckling
of the air around us.

Jane Burn

Photo credit: Jane Burn

Tea Cosy

Do come, on Saturday, at around half past ten

when the light is strong but the day still young.

Bring your needlework bag, your cottons, your scissors

and we will work together, lay patches on the table,

choose colours to complement our theme,

pick pieces that depict our lives: Hettie’s schooldress,

the blouse you wore to Megan’s wedding.

We’ll cut and stitch, we’ll tack and match our hexagons,

sew round the paper templates that keep the shape,

add layers, pad with soft white wadding.

And when our patchwork tea cosy is made

and we’ve reminisced of days that interthread,

we’ll share a cup of tea, all butter shortbread,

talk of pole dancing, Mandela, our next project.

Nicky Phillips

First published in Brittle Star, July 2014

Tea Dance

Look, it’s raining.
Let’s stay home and sit in the bath instead,
reading books to each other.

And after we can swap ball gowns
for their dressing version,
and dance in the kitchen
to the sound of the immersion.
Let’s stay here,
there’s no need to go anywhere.
We should ignore the run of the town;
make our own entertainment
and turn           everything        down.

We’ll twirl under the strip light
as one half of it
flickers.

There’s no reason for everything that glitters
to be driven by electricity.
In amongst the cups and plates
we can be fuelled by hot drinks
and something warm from a CD.
We could discuss the nature
of all things involved in being happy.
I trust we will concur.

Mat Riches

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