Extract from my (not soon to be published) illustrated book, ‘Lincoln Of The Woods.’

‘With one strike of his knife against the flint he starts a fire in the snow. The kindling is amber and glows like the moon above. The animals draw near and are relieved to feel Lincoln’s soft, warm breath. They wait for his story and the cadence of his soporific nonsense.

Bread and Pumpkin soup. Lincoln spreads it around. Gives it out. Warms it up. Offers it up. The lost travellers and the woman with no name take it, smell it and eat it and even the stray dog smiles through that hearty, nurturing bites.

…and his story continues

Let us say that the heart is as big as the oceans we see and the oceans we have never seen. Let’s say too that the capacity to love is more than those stars. More than 3,657 double decker buses. More than 178,800 rolls of toilet paper piled high, longer than a piece of string and bigger than Elvis and bigger than Levis.

Let us imagine that Love is that.

(He yawns. An Owl hoots. The dog scratches at a flea).

…and let us imagine that Hate, in comparrison, is the size of a lentil. Let’s imagine that.(

(The fire in the snow crackles, spits, whispers, glows and dances)

They imagine.

It’s a starlit night.

Thank Goodness! ponders Owl – no pitch tone donkey braying Kumbaya tonight’