April is National Poetry Month. I’m going to attempt to write one poem every day this month. Today’s poem: 30/30 for April 30th – YES!!! I did it! 30 days, 30 poems!

(I want to work on this one more, but I wanted to get one posted for the last day of poetry month!)

my salad days

It is one of my favorite scents

When the thick, sweet
Scent enters my nostrils
I get a dopamine hit to the brain
sending me back to my childhood

Summer days spent
Outside all day playing
Riding bikes
Climbing my Aunt Mary’s plumb trees
Plucking yellow and purple plums,
sitting on a tree limb to eat them
Not too many
Or you’d have to run to the bathroom

Remembering the time I jumped
from the trampoline
Landing in a gigantic bed of fire ants

My Aunt Mary
Rushed me in the house
Tore off my clothes
Immersing me in a bathtub of cold water
Fire ant bites
HURT

Remembering the times
Helping my pappaw mow lawns
All the grandkids had to take turns helping him
It was hard work in that oppressive Mississippi heat
He always paid us for our help
Me and my cousin, Stephanie
Would walk to the tote-sum
Taking our time choosing penny candy
We’d leave with a good size bag of
Glorious sugar loaded treats

Remembering that time
My pappaw let me try
Some of his chewing tobacco
When I tell you I spit that shit
Out so fast
Nasty stuff!

It is one of my favorite scents

Honeysuckle

It reminds me of childhood summer days

Camilla Downs, 2024

Prompt: Think about your favourite scent. Write a poem depicting the things and activities it reminds you of.