in from the cold

to wood smoke and bare stone

and fear

for I did not wish to come here

and now a body lies on the hearth

draped in silk

and rain-lashed windows

drown out the wailing

and there is evil in the rafters

A light in the hall flickers

and the draw of it 

further, further in

is primal

—

Photo by Jason Schjerven on Unsplash