Surprised Poem by Jess Lederman

You said you were
surprised
you had a scent,
and hey
what was it like,
and I said there weren’t words
(but that’s not true,
that’s a lie,
there are always
words,
though sometimes only in song,
and I can’t carry a tune
but God tells us
no excuses
just close your eyes and
sing) .
So, darling:
You smell a little like the
ocean,
and star jasmine,
and the Santa Ana winds,
and chamomile tea.


(Huntington Beach, CA, October,2013)