Her Scent

The divine fragrance,

Wafting from someplace,

That pretty familiar smell,

Has stuck to my head,

Perhaps since birth,

Haven’t checked the precise time,

Nor have paid any attention to it,

The primary memory:

It is from past ages,

That has lingered for an era,

And it has traveled with me from time to time.

The breeze gives a distinct whiff,

When it is infused in air,

What is it, by the way?

I have not unearthed it till now.

Is it a blend of her perfume or sweat?

Or her bath soap or coconut oil?

Perhaps the trail of scent she leaves behind,

Linked to her puja incense,

Or the cakes she bakes with vanilla essence?

The fragrance has put me in a fix,

Why does it make me homesick?

I may be far away from the place,

But the essence stays there,

Encircled by countless memories.

That gives a taste of my teens,

United with all carefree minutes,

Numerous conquests and difficulties,

When I was naïve and silly.

That image reached back slowly,

It smacked me badly.

Good Lord,

How stupid of me?

The fragrance was my morning alarm,

The roosters had a difficult time,

Despite their internal clock,

Before they could crow,

She always woke up before the sun rose.

She looked radiant in her simple saree,

It gives the vibe of Goddess Durga,

She carries her own odor,

Like that of expensive perfume,

The scent runs everywhere,

Touching all nooks and corners of our dwelling,

It resides in every niche,

Like an air freshener,

Even after she has moved from place to place.

The captivating fragrance,

Her scent is unique,

That stems from her.

A smell that cannot be replicated.

How I wish I could hold it within me,

Till the end of time!

The smell makes me feel loved,

Protects me from the evil eyes.

I feel helpless at times,

As I cannot re-create her essence,

I can only cherish her memories,

Through her fascinating scent.

It bewilders me at times,

Does she know about the fragrance?

The one I am addicted to,

It has reminded me of my strength,

Many nights the scent has put me to sleep.

The scent takes my heart off,

With her delicate features.

Serene ambiance emanating,

Simply from her soul.

The scene is thrilling,

That I am unable to part with.

She remains in my heart,

Yet moves from one place to another,

Clinging to my soul.

The rich scent arises from my mom,

It is also gorgeous like her.

I stay spellbound,

Whenever her scent passes by

From near or far,

I can feel it,

With all my senses,

It indeed swells my heart with pride.