The Scent of Taste

It really depends on the day

But just now

Cinnamon apples 

Even though it's May

Crisp juicy and green

Braised in the liquids 

They slowly produced

Healthy spoonfuls 

Of freshly grated cinnamon 

Don't forget some brown sugar

Molasses notes mixing in

I know I smell others too

A party mixing nutmeg 

cardamom, and clove

A single whiff 

Is enough to 

Instantly produce

Copious amounts of

dribbling spit

sucking it back

into my throat

Prior to it hitting my chin

Memories of apple pie

Hot cobbler

Mulling cider 

with the sticks floating round

picking apples 

right off the tree

but that is all gone

since there is rarely 

a slice of pie

as tasty as the ones 

of your memory

K.B. Silver

---

Whether due to dietary restrictions or just the passage of time subtly changing the available ingredients, we all have certain foods that we cherish from childhood, but we know that we will never taste that "real" version again. Scent is a powerful memory trigger, sometimes we might even smell something that reminds us of that perfect flavor. I don't know about anyone else, but every time I let myself be fooled by the intoxicating scent, my heart is broken again and again.