Warming Words

An experiment reveals that people have increased feelings of warmth after listening to a specially crafted poem about a real fire. The poem, written by the renowned poet, Yorkshire Prose, can increase feelings of warmth by 13%.

Social media’s Yorkshire Prose has created a poem which is scientifically proven to warm listeners as temperatures start to plummet this winter. The piece ‘Joy of the Fireplace’ was crafted around the feeling of being sat by a fire on a cold winter night, featuring words that are said to spark memories and nostalgia.

To assess the power of the warming poem, scientists from Thrill Laboratory tested the response of listening participants. Using skin flush technology, they were able to determine heart rate, while a FACS (facial action coding system) analysed 43 different muscle groups for signs of increased pleasure.

The results of the experiment revealed that all participants experienced increased feelings of warmth just by listening to the poem. Compared to their neutral states, overall listeners felt a 13% rise in their feelings of warmth.

The line “That’s why t’ fireplace becomes t’ heart o’ t’ ‘ome” was the most powerful, yielding the highest feelings of warmth.

Yorkshire born and bred, Yorkshire Prose is well known across social media, often sharing videos of his literary creations online. The Royal Navy petty officer writes about anything from pints to roast dinners in his distinctive Yorkshire dialect style, building a large following of fans across his platforms. He currently has 34.5k followers on twitter alone.

“The feeling a fire can give is almost indescribable but Yorkshire Prose has done it perfectly.”

His poem was commissioned by the Coal Merchants Federation as they encourage the nation to save their real fires by turning to smokeless fuel this winter. This is following new legislation introduced in England earlier this year, which encourages the use of smokeless fuels, limits the sale of house coal and bans wet wood and high sulphur manufactured fuels.

Wilma Brooks, spokesperson for the Coal Merchants Federation, said: “The feeling a fire can give is almost indescribable but Yorkshire Prose has done it perfectly. A fire can take you back to childhood memories, allows the mind to relax and unwind and, importantly, warms your cockles in the cold winter months.”

Poet Yorkshire Prose notes: “Sitting by t’ fire is a favourite place of mine to write. If I’ve had an idea while I’ve been out wi’ t’ dog on a crisp wintery day, sat thawing out int glow of the fire is a great place to turn that spark of a thought into a piece of writing. There’s summat about the crackling sounds and just that fireside feeling, that helps in t’creative process.”

 

Joy of the Fireplace
By Yorkshire Prose

We’re coming to that time o’ year,
Weather’s turning and mornings are dark,
There’s that satisfying crunching o’ grass underfoot,
As you walk dog ovver t’ field and t’ park.

Frost nips at your nose and your fingers,
And your ears glow red like they’re bit,
You feel smug as you turn back for ‘ome,
Cos you know waiting theeare is t’ fire you’ve lit.

That’s got to be one o’ t’ best feelings in life,
In front o’fire wi’ an ‘ot cup o’tea
Dog ligged art ont hearth warming up,
There’s no place ‘at I’d rather be.

That’s why t’ fireplace becomes t’ heart o’ t’ ‘ome,
Them flickering flames as they draw breath and grow,
There’s warmth and there’s laughter and tales that are shared,
All in front o’ them embers aglow.

As cosy conversation fills t’ room,
Cheeks flush red and warming toes tingle,
It flickers and flames as I sit content
Them fireside senses all mingle.

That feeling o’ comfort, o’ loving and warmth,
Ano it’s summat o’ which I’ll never tire,
You’ll find me when I’m an old man, wi’ a dog,
Wi ‘me feet up in front of a fire.