Life · poetry

Hygge in a Mug (an advertisement)

Sally

Hygge (pronounced Hoo-gah) is a Danish word with no direct English equivalent. It is a cozy contented feeling that involves being in the moment, and feeling safe and comfortable.

Who knew a drink could comfort like a hug
The warmth of which permeates my soul
Freshly brewed coffee in a mug

This hygge feeling gives my heart a tug!
Pre-dawn moment makes my whole day whole
Who knew a drink could comfort like a hug?

I know, I know — caffeine is a drug
(I say that with a serious eye-roll)
Freshly brewed coffee in a mug

In my big house, I sigh and give a shrug
Aloneness — part of this season’s role
Who knew a drink could comfort like a hug

I curve my hand around, feel warmth so snug
Sipping joe, I write words to extol
Freshly brewed coffee in a mug

If I could advertise one thing, I’d plug
Java! Cuppa! Have some! I’d cajole
Who knew a drink could comfort like a hug?
Freshly brewed coffee in a mug

W3 Prompt this week: This week, let’s write a villanelle about enjoying your favorite beverage, whether alcoholic or not. What’s in your cup?

Here’s a link to my favorite villanelle of all time: https://malcolmguite.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/a-villanelle-for-national-poetry-day/

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Published by Sally

11 thoughts on “Hygge in a Mug (an advertisement)”

  6. Sally, I love how your “serious eye-roll” keeps the sentiment from getting sugary, while that quiet admission of aloneness makes the hug in your mug feel all the warmer!

    ~David

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  7. Sally, you’ve named something real that coffee is more than caffeine, it’s a hug when you’re alone. That eye-roll about it being a drug keeps the poem honest, and then you slip into the quiet truth: curving your hand around the mug, the warmth that meets the aloneness of the season. Hygge isn’t about denying the solitude; it’s about holding it gently. Your villanelle does that, it advertises joy without erasing the fact that sometimes we need a mug to hold us.

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