Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Breathe In

For a moment in the morning—
Sometimes for a few moments—
My mind is not awake enough
For smells to transmit themselves into my consciousness.

But by the time I am ready
To set out for my day,
To wander this road that is life,
And to scratch my name on these hours,
I am aware of
The sharp smell of deodorant,
The clean smell of my shirt,
And the fresh smell of a new day.

Once at work,
I await the scent of 25 people:
Shoes that have visited mud
And dirt and grass and concrete
And perhaps some fecal matter.
Hair that may or not have been washed
Last night or this morning,
May or may not have been washed
Yesterday morning or the night before.
The scent of 25 different combinations
Of laundry detergent,
Soap, shampoo,
Toothpaste, deodorant,
And body odor.
And as I am wrapped in each embrace
I experience each scent
And the story that it tells.

As I sit down in the afternoon
For a moment’s peace,
I catch a quick whiff of the lunch I just cooked—
Stir-fried chicken and vegetables,
And somehow I detect both cooked rice and
Raw rice in one inhalation.
I feel well fed.

On the walk home
I relish in the soft Southern breezes
Entering my nostrils with
Reminders of tall grass,
Bright blue skies,
And brilliant clouds.
I am at peace with my surroundings,
And I wish for a moment
That I could delay my walk a bit longer.

Later, sitting and reading,
Smells of beans
In a slow cooker
Assault my senses.
They whisper of a meal that is soon to come,
Of conversations around the table
And laughter.

My head rests upon the pillow
In much the same place
As 17 hours ago
When a scent had yet to enter my consciousness.
I bury my head in a t-shirt.
There I am warmed by a familiar scent
One that I dream of at night,
One that brings me home,
One that reminds me of who I am
And of the millions moments that led me here.

This familiar smell
Reminds me of love,
Just as the scent of the night air
Reminds me of life.

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