The Nascence of a Word

with all its shades,shapes & flavor

All words have a smell...

not just a whiff of their own

but the flavors of the ones surrounding

& the taste,the odour  of the master using

If the master is Pat

& he says,"Hello"

the word looks hesitant

but if it's Ronald

the "hello." seems to be firm

as if  commanding me to reply..

No,it's not that I know them

It's neither their photos nor their gestures

which are 'twigs' or 'rain'

it's their smell in that word

which transports 

from their brain to that blue nerve,

to the finger,to the tab,

from the screen,to the cables

& then

to my system

as I touch the words

they have that  odour ...

Then you know their colors..

that Ahaana is Pink

while Marrissa black

Rohan is grey

green is always Ashley

Blue is you

& me too

as our words hum

to spin that fine rhythm

which makes a leaf, leaf

& a buttercup, buttercup

makes the door bang

& crackles the yellow pages

swishes the wings of the bird

flying out of the pond

makes the wind-chime tinkle 

& the teary-eyed baby yawn

crushes the grass underneath my feet

& makes me taste the raindrops 

with the tip of my tongue

fills the sand in my nostrils 

as I smell the desert of Thar,

the distant twinkling white star

smells as the refrigerator's freezer

as the moon settles as cool milk pudding

so all this, and beyond this

gives me the smell...

the Smell of a Word.  

Reviews

[Clockwork]

I like this idea very much because it really gives me a look into the essence of things. You really show us that the combination of words, paired with the intent of the speaker, truly create a unique blend. That blend has a true taste of what we are, and the essential nature of what they are describing. In these lines: to spin that fine rhythm/which makes a leaf, leaf/& a buttercup, buttercup" I think you said it very well. Your not just describing these things--you are describing the ability to create something that is so powerful, so accurate, that is sums up the true identity of those things. I really like what I read here, and I am glad that I came by.

[Shweta Singh]

Christian thanks a lot for this warm & thorough review...you caught hold of the philosophy & plunged into its core when you understood that the rhythm & vibration of nature creates objects,living things,voice, language,literally everything in this cosmos....a creative piece gains it's shape as it resonates in another creative mind.....I'm so glad to meet you..

[Clockwork]

I was hoping that I had correctly identified that philosophy. I remembered one of my teachers describing it to our class last year. I am very glad to meet you as well!

[Allen Smuckler]

is that why negative, mean-spirited, bigoted people have this odiousness about them...?
I was wondering what that was...:)
Your imagery throughout was crisp and free flowing....Ethereal and colorful
Great metaphors and a cadence and rhythm that kept the poem alive and believable.
Terrific write Shweta
allen

[Onku Ghosh]

A very creative write!! Words having a smell......what an unique idea.It is a pleasure to read your poems because the imagery is so vivid......so descriptive.A long pom but it holds the reader's interest rught up to the end.Brilliant work!!!

[Frieda P]

I love this concept, words tangled with olfactory senses, and color too...ingenious write! I can only hope my have the scent of poppies! ;-) Great read....

[Shweta Singh]

Poppies with crushed chrysanthemum leaves & sometimes tastes like dark chocolate ;)
Thanks for the amazing review Frieda!

[Frieda P]

Oh, the magic words, dark chocolate :-) My pleasure!

[Friday]

Very picturesque and lively. I like how it takes off where one could suppose it would end. Beautiful writing!

[Samuel Jack]

Interesting thoughts on words, I've always thought of them as having a texture, but I can see what you mean. There are a few poems I've seen on writerscafe about memory's triggered by smell, but this is the one I enjoyed the most, a lot of people would have ended the poem at "blue is you, & me too" but you swirled off into a pretty place. Awesome poetry.

[Shweta Singh]

Thank you Samuel for taking out your precious time to review it...I'm touched by your kind words..It's very encouraging.. :)

[Ronald J Chapman]

Wow! Nice work. You may want to try and enter this poem into a contest or have it published in a book.
You even have my name Ronald in the poem. :)

beautiful. I give you an A.

[Shweta Singh]

You know Ronald I always feel that our soul knows the path...so probably that's the reason why I mentioned your name before I met you here...Thanks for your kind words... :)

[Ronald J Chapman]

Your're welcome. I feel the same. Have you read my poem "Forever Looking for Love"?

http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/ronchap3/1195938/

[Daniel Eckert]

Yes indeed, this poem smells amazing! Like a warm aroma of fresh baked cookies!

[Shweta Singh]

Oooh!that's the magic...it's the rhythm or vibration which brings things into existence..that puts aroma,color,flavor& mood into everything.....words are just a part of it..Thanks for smelling it :)

[Sami Khalil]

This is a great descriptive write and very fragrant one . It smells like good words...Thank you for sharing...:)

[Shweta Singh]

Wow!thanks for the appreciation of this write-up. I'm flattered by your words.

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome...:)......