A basket by the hearth

Logs beside the door
waiting winter's cold
pine and oak and withy  
here beneath the roof  
to dry for kindling,
basket by the hearth
with smaller sticks
to start the fire.
A simple scene
barely worth the telling,
wood and sticks and sawdust,
October Sunday morning.
Three swifts chasing flies
missed the bus to Africa.
They're welcome to stay
crowd round the chimney
with robin and the tits
hear carols from the hearth
crackling wood and pine smells
from logs here beside the door
waiting winter's cold on
a sunny Sunday morning
a basket by the hearth.