Nose Adventures

I thought i would get used to the smells

of hot garbage and vent steam

of unwashed bodies and tattered clothes

of dirty mouths with teeth resembling a carved pumpkin's

of the thickness in the air, the smell of asphalt and gravel, dirt and grit

I can't wait to smell again

the aromas of the street vendors

skewers of cooked meat, plump greasy hot dogs, sugar coated almonds and pecans

the perfume of cultures

indian curries, korean bibimbop, juicy hamburgers, and fresh baked goods

the cool night air that finally lets me breathe deeply, inhale the dark cool shadows

for every smell that turns my insides, there is a new aroma, an exotic potpourri that my nose craves to discover again.