Scent

    by Angela Nuzzo

It’s a Bradford thing, I guess.
Or maybe it’s just me.
But the deep and musty odor of oil
is one of the best smells in the world.
It hangs heavy in the air –
as if walking through it
would leave a residue.
Rain may wash it away temporarily,
but it always comes back –
stronger than before,
more potent than ever.
If it was a perfume,
I could dab it behind my ears.
But I don’t think I’d need to.
After 34 years, enough of the aroma
has soaked into my skin
and my essence –
so that no matter where I go,
whatever the length of my stay here,
I’ll carry this scent along with me.