Xeryus Colognes,
Aromas, and Scents
Janet Kuypers
4/27/19 (National Smell Day,
on the last Saturday in April)
At three in the morning,
walk out into a wheat field —
through hip-high blades
of grass still wet with dew.
The moisture tingles your legs,
but what catches you is the smell
of the wheat, you can even
smell that it’s green. Breathe in
the wheat field expanding for acres
in the dark, screaming with life.
You can’t smell this in the city.
So take a moment, and inhale.
#
in the springtime, when
plants become alive again,
step outside. Everything
is in bloom again. In
the north, lilac trees bloom
with the most beautiful
smell, and daffodils, only
around for weeks in spring,
but their hypnotic smell
may live within you
until the next year. And
go ahead and head south
and you’ll find purple and
yellow flowers to excite
your sense of smell, even
feel the petals of a rose
before you inhale deeply.
These smells attract life,
so accept their call, and inhale.
#
When life aggravates you,
give yourself a moment,
find a matchbook — no,
not a lighter, a matchbook —
and if you can, go to
a darkened room and
light a match. Smell the sulfur
assault your nose while the
one flame assaults your eyes
Your eyes grow accustomed
to the light, and you relax.
You begin to miss the sulfur
smell, so, light another match.
#
Decide to soak in the sun
in the 120 ° Arizona heat
you eventually catch that smell,
wait, it smells like someone
is barbecuing, look around,
where’s that smell coming from,
it occurs to you that there is
no one around for miles,
and you realize that
the burning meat smell
is coming from you.
I think you’re done.
It’s time to go inside.
#
As the seasons change,
walk outside and follow
that thin line of smoke
to find its origin, until
you find a small pile
of burning autumn leaves.
the intoxicating smell
reminds you of childhood
campfires, ghost stories
told around burning logs
defying the cool night air.
Smile as you inhale,
and remember the wonders
these smells can bring you.
Sure, smell relates to taste,
but it’s also so much more.
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