Hearth-warming

 We're overdue a hearth-warming at the Al and Eurithe Purdy A-frame. These days the inside of the A-frame is colder than out, despite its still warm beating heart.

Tomorrow at Koerner Hall, we'll be celebrating what made the A-frame a crucible  for Canadian literature and Canadian identity...and thinking ahead to the day when this hearth is warm again, and the A-frame is full of poets and poetry.

And because the local is as present as Al in his work, a few thoughts on chimneys...

"Ours is twenty feet. And still climbing.
Ingredients: limestone from an 1840 Regency cottage
(I told Bill Knox he was nuts to tear it down);
historic stone from the Roblin gristmill site;
anonymous stone from Norris Whitney's barnyard
and some pickup loads from Point Anne quarry.
-All of this to toast marshmallows?

But you'll have to admit the ritual significance
of not being above working with your hands?
You don't admit it? Okay, I guess you're right.
But you must agree it's the hard way
to gather ingredients for a poem?"

(lines from Place of Fire, in 'Sundance at Dusk' (1976)

And because I'm always looking for local connections, next time you look at this post, I will provide a few explanatory links.