Sanctuary

A rush of warm air.

I scrape my shoes as I pass inwards,

Letting out a half-sigh as I

Catch a hint of the bitter coffee,

The savoury scent of potatoes and salt.

“Just the piccolo?”

A beaming face greets mine,

Knowing my need before I utter the words.

I am known,

But anonymous,

Tapping away furiously at keys

In the corner.

Vivid masquerade balls have been crafted here,

Tales of friendship lost, friendship found,

Of characters whose footsteps echoed centuries ago.

I am cocooned,

Suspended in the alluring warm light of

Productivity, peace and caffeine.

It is my Haven.

This post is a part of a link up for Five Minute Friday, a community of fellow writers who write for 5 minutes every Friday together on a prompt.

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20 comments

  1. I totally resonate with your lines “I am known, But anonymous.” I, too, love having my regular spot yet still maintaining my anonymity. A lovely ode to coffee shop hours that help keep Mama sane! 🙂

    1. It’s a delicate balance, isn’t it? So important to take time for whatever inspires and energises us, hey? xx

  2. Emma,
    oh I love, love, LOVE the imagery of the masquerade balls. Truly, I found myself wanting to read your post about three times over. You are a wordsmith. At first piccolo brought to mind my high school band days, but I think I’m lost in translation a bit. I can hear the whistling of the coffee makers.
    Your escape leads to the escape of many a soul with those crisp pressed pieces of trees once glorious, stamped with the strokes of dark chemicals that preserve journeys into the imaginations of creatures hand-crafted by a glorious Savior.
    🙂
    Thanks for the visit over my way, too. I am really enjoying getting to know you weekly!!
    Love,
    Tammy
    (#67 this week)

    1. Ohhh Tammy that means so much! The piccolo is confusing, haha – it is actually just a shot of espresso coffee with a tiny bit of milk… I like it strong! Really loving connecting with you guys each week – something I really look forward to 🙂 Oh and I love the poetry of your last paragraph- stunning! xx

  3. Girl, your poetry is good (and that’s just the 5-minute kind). I can see you escaping to your haven as you pummel the keys in a coffee-induced ferocity and find yourself in these letters and marks.

    1. You know it! I come alive in that space and these keys are sometimes my lifeline… Thanks for the encouragement about the poetry- I feel like I have so much to learn, but that excites me 🙂 I love reading your work – it inspires me… xx

  4. Absolutely beautiful! It can be so difficult to find a getaway from the everyday norm. Beautifully written. I can see and smell and relax in it! 😀

    1. Thanks Carey! So glad that you can relate! And wow- just read your beautiful post on haven- it’s like you are in my head!

    1. Thanks so much for the encouragement, hope that your sister finds something that resonates with her journey!

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