Elias's river-stone oven in the dark bakery, its mouth glowing, tools resting on the surfaces nearby

FIRE & FLOUR

The night the bread is born.

While the town sleeps, the oven wakes.

Flour falling through lamplight like first snow onto the workbench

I · MIDNIGHT

It begins with flour, falling like first snow.

II · THE SMALL HOURS

Then hands that know the dough by heart.

A baker's floured hands folding dough on the workbench in warm lamplight

Loaves entering the glowing oven mouth on a long wooden peel

III · BEFORE THE BIRDS

The stone oven – Elias’s oven – does the rest.

IV · DAWN

Full shelves at first daylight, pale town rooftops through the window

By dawn, the shelves are full and the town smells of morning.

See the wonders it makes