Nosy Prints Poem by Martin Lochner

Emptiness is noted, their presence no more;
leaving us, never leaving us or just dying on us,
but the diffused smell lingers, their uniqueness in
our ambient internal fragrance memory bank.

Great grandfather’s bushy beard infused with cherry
rum tobacco and a whiff of French penny polony
on the breath,

Grandmothers elegant moon drops lotion, smell dabbling
around the face and powdery Turkish Delight,
treasure in her sheep’s woven jersey - always checking for those
glazed pink and red sweeties in the pocket.

Becoming sick

the smell of hospital urine, stainless steel pans, domestos
and unsalted bland cooked pumpkin for lunch, nausea.

Leaving hospital

Coffee shop entrance filled with grounded coffee beans
bursting the heavy buttery mist of light oven croissants
and toast, marmalade spreads aromatic.
Marriage.

Going home

Mouldy smell of big brown mushrooms and raw garlic,
pan fried with butter and balsamic reduction,
smothered in goat’s cheese and the berry bite
of chardonnay, lightly syrupy.
Late edition 2004.

Fathers study

Stinky printer's ink smell with kudos leather
and the Cuban cigar nostril prickers with
prohibited fresh taste of peach schnapps
and rotten grape cognac.

Girl friend

Lip ice strawberry,
Stimorol tongue kisses, mint explosion and something else -
DKNY elements lingering on the neck.
Eating her up.

Jesus

West coast wind bringing the smell of sea bamboo,
sweaty sweet sour dough of Passover,
preserved fig and eucalyptus, wild honey,
salted dry fish and seedless Jerusalem prunes.

And death

Wet porcelain clay
Deep Mr. Min polish spray
Sweet balsam moth ball odor

And tea, yes tea,
cucumber slices with cheddar


Blurring faces saved by these distinctive
nosy prints, nasal artifacts or holy undertones
of those that are dear or fear to us.