Poets logo

Winter’s Embrace

An evening walk home

By Sandy GillmanPublished 4 months ago 1 min read
Golden hour sky at the edge of autumn. Photo taken by me.

A crunch beneath my feet,

leaves crackle with each step.

I wrap my arms in my own embrace,

trying to shelter from the chill.

My cheeks feel crisp,

gently kissed by the blustery breeze.

My footsteps start to quicken,

thinking about that glass of smoky red

waiting for me by the fire.

I look to the sky,

feeling a brief respite from

the frosty evening

as I savour the warm reds and oranges

of the golden hour.

The haunting cries of

the curlew bird,

out for the evening

defending its territory

disturb the quiet air.

Drawing a deep breath,

I take in the earthy, honey scent of the

old eucalyptus tree

mixed with the comforting, jarrah spice of

neighbourhood fireplaces.

As I round the corner,

I catch a glimpse of the warm light

from my front porch,

waiting to welcome me home.

Free Verse

About the Creator

Sandy Gillman

I’m a mum to a toddler, just trying to get through the day. I like to write about the ups and downs of parenting. I’m not afraid to tell it like it is. I hope you’ll find something here to laugh, relate to, and maybe even learn from.

Reader insights

Outstanding

Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!

Top insights

  1. Compelling and original writing

    Creative use of language & vocab

  2. Easy to read and follow

    Well-structured & engaging content

  3. Heartfelt and relatable

    The story invoked strong personal emotions

  1. Masterful proofreading

    Zero grammar & spelling mistakes

  2. On-point and relevant

    Writing reflected the title & theme

Add your insights

Comments (13)

Sign in to comment
  • Catsidhe3 months ago

    I love the imagery in this one. It's a wonderful contrast between the warmth of home and the chill of the season.

  • Julie Lacksonen3 months ago

    Lovely imagery! I especially enjoy the phrase, "gently kissed by the blustery breeze." 💜

  • C. Rommial Butler3 months ago

    More well-wrought thoughts on the season!

  • Lamar Wiggins4 months ago

    -I wrap my arms in my own embrace- This line feels so comforting and sets the tone for a heartfelt journey. Lovely work, Sandy!

  • Novel Allen4 months ago

    Warm enjoyable journey home. home inviting,

  • Lovely sensory poem. Especially like the curlews & “old eucalyptus tree”.🤗 Good old Australia.💖

  • Darla M Seely4 months ago

    Very well written

  • Mariann Carroll4 months ago

    Your cover picture goes so well with your poetry. 🥰

  • Caitlin Charlton4 months ago

    'I wrap my arms in my own embrace' This line makes me aware of myself and also aware of you and how you were alone on this walk, but also how comforted you might've felt by your own embrace as well as the scenery. Your photo looks absolutely beautiful. Looks like a family loving neighbourhood. I love that we get to see everything that is around you, through your eyes while hinting at the smokey red waiting for you. I do really like the words, 'smoky red' together. Ooo 'the earthy honey scent of the old eucalyptus tree.' this was I would say, my favourite line. I love how you ended it with your porch around the corner waiting to welcome you home. This did feel very much like an evening walk. The atmosphere was there and the pace of the walk could be imagined as I was reading. Fantastic work Sandy 🤗 ❤️

  • Such serenity in the pic. Killed it. Along with wonderful lines to go with it. Wow @Sandy Gillman

  • Susan Fourtané 4 months ago

    This is so beautiful and also the photo. What a lovely sky! I love it when it’s pink. I love the descriptions.

  • Your descriptions were so vivid! Loved your beautiful poem! At the risk of sounding dumb, may I know what's jarrah spice? 😅😅

  • As winter approaches, this poem describes the nostalgia I feel. I didn't quite realise that I would miss winter this year. It's more beautiful than we realize. I enjoyed your poem ❤️

Find us on social media

Miscellaneous links

  • Explore
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Support

© 2026 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.