nostalgia

The hearth used to be
the hub of an otherwise
unheated home.

Glowing coals
carefully banked overnight
under the wood burning range
made the kitchen
the warmest room of the house
in winter.
Red and white tiles on the floor,
mother knitting on the sofa
in the light from the window
children doing homework
and kicking each other
under the large table.

At night, the children in a row
filled hot water bottles
covered with thick woollen
army socks ; the water,
still warm in the morning,
was used for ablutions.
In the bedrooms
icicles had formed
on the windows.

Life was black and white,
hot or cold, then.