This months poem was chosen by, the writer of last month's Poem of the Month, Anwen Lewis. Anwen says "I chose this poem because it is a beautiful expression and combination of two very important themes in my life at the moment - I've just spent time visiting my only remaining grandparent, to be warmed by her words once more before the addling of age diminishes their rhythm; and I've finally made the decision to reinstall a 'real' fire into my house and look forward to the warmth of words shared by friends and family at its hearth. Thank you Mother, for illuminating and sharing these themes." Warmed by the Words Sat by the fire With grandmother Her face aglow With black and orange Shadow The crackling, hissing, sparking Of her fireside words Fuelled my imagination And warmed my childhood My heart melted Along with freshly toasted Marshmallows She’d throw Another scenario Onto the fire And my flame rose higher Characters danced Amongst the flames And the story spilled out Onto the hearth Tongues clasped each spilled sentence And threw them back into the plot Loading her scuttle With enough imagination To last a life time She kindled my passion Of oral tradition With the warmth of the ‘spoken word’