The Smell That Came Back
By Paul Bass

Staring at the smell that
Came back from old leaves.
That came back from youth.
I see it every time I breathe.

Is there some way to filter this out?
Maybe turn a blind nose?
Hardly even possible,
As the Toucan named Sam shows.

Maybe I could skate around a lake
and fly right through a cloud of blooms.
Or I could grow really long nose hair
and make sure it’s properly groomed.

Maybe I could go to Macy’s
And let that lady spritz me.
Or go to a reptile farm
and see if that odor gets me.

I need to stink it out. Shout it out.
Whatever it might tell.
I’m just hating what I saw,
When I smelled what I smell.