POETRY BY GINNY ~ THE CHIMNEY FACTOR

I like to look at chimneys,
Which I have done since I was small,
I find them fascinating,
And I hold them all in awe.

How fine they stand, erect and straight,
So very dignified,
They reach and stretch like mountain peaks,
Up high into the sky.

Chimneys, built of brick and stone,
Are strong and stand steadfast,
Houses may go in fires or storms,
But chimneys are made to last.

Of basic fashion and design,
Some are simple, modest, plain,
Others, elegant and fine,
Yet all operate the same.

A chimney is constructed,
To descend inside a house,
When then, as if by magic,
It becomes a cozy hearth.

Chimneys stir imaginations,
When folks are out on Winter nights,
And they see those tall, brick chimneys,
With smoke curling up and out of sight.

They visualize a fireplace,
With dancing flames aglow,
And they picture happy people there,
Warming fingers, hearts, and toes.

Perhaps, also, by that fireplace,
Folks see a dozing dog and cat,
A Rockwell painting in the making,
Pure contentment where they're at.

Chimneys serve us all year round,
Though in Summer, they're at rest,
That's when wrens and sparrows,
Seek them out to build their nests

In the Fall, they come to life,
And are cleaned of dirt and grime,
As they get ready for the cold,
That appears at wintertime.

When frost and snow and ice appear,
Chimneys are clothed in white,
What lovely sights they are to see,
On frigid, full-moon nights.

Again they stir up visions,
Of cheerful hearths below,
And waken thoughtful memories,
Of times of long ago.

People far away from home,
Return in mind and heart,
All because they've seen a chimney,
Releasing smoke and sparks.

I think that I will never see,
A chimney lovely as a tree,
But were I to choose between the two,
I'd base my choice on Christmas Eves.

For how else would jolly Santa Claus,
Make his earthly presence known,
If not by sliding down a chimney,
Right into people's homes?

Yes, Santa Claus needs chimneys,
To deliver Christmas riches,
For should he slide down trees instead,
He'd get slivers in his britches.

Electric, gas, and oil
Are perfect for heating homes,
But chimneys are required,
For Santa Claus ... and poems!