For me...
A stop at Pier One
or
Cost Less Imports
is a trip back through time.
The moment I open the door
those fragrant aromas and familiar sights
intrigue me...
bombard me...
invade my senses...
and send my mind racing
back through time
to when life was simple,
slow,
uncomplicated.
Plumeria.
Sandalwood incense.
Gentle ocean breezes and salt sea air.
Remembering...
the sturdy tree by our back door
yielding fragrant blossoms.
Plumeria by name.
Soft white petals of moist velvet
Golden yellow in the center where the petals merged.
Plumeria,
dripping from the branches
waiting to be picked and strung
to welcome a guest to tropical paradise.
Incense.
Sandalwood.
Musky, earthy aromas
that waft from the bead covered entrances
of the small Oriental shops.
Fragrances that beckon to me...
"Come see.
Come touch.
Come experience."
Wandering aimlessly amongst the dusty wooden shelves.
Shelves
laden with china, brass, bone, ivory and wood.
Touching the treasures
causing one's mind to ponder times long ago and lands far away.
Mysterious cultures waiting to be explored and experienced.
Gentle ocean breezes...
Such an integral part of the island experience.
Breezes
warmed by the sun.
Breezes
gently caressing the land as they make their way along the coast
and up the mountains to the land on the other side.
Breezes
that soothe
and relax.
Almost hypnotic by nature
creating a state of euphoria -
carefree abandonment of all worries and problems.
Breezes that touch the skin and permeate to the inner being,
warming and cooling simultaneously.
Breezes that mingle with the damp salt sea air,
creating a smell unlike any other.
Even still today...
thirty-nine years later,
there are sights,
smells, and
touches
that open up the doors of my memory
and allow me to experience
a trip back through time.
A stop at Pier One
or
Cost Less Imports
is a trip back through time.
The moment I open the door
those fragrant aromas and familiar sights
intrigue me...
bombard me...
invade my senses...
and send my mind racing
back through time
to when life was simple,
slow,
uncomplicated.
Plumeria.
Sandalwood incense.
Gentle ocean breezes and salt sea air.
Remembering...
the sturdy tree by our back door
yielding fragrant blossoms.
Plumeria by name.
Soft white petals of moist velvet
Golden yellow in the center where the petals merged.
Plumeria,
dripping from the branches
waiting to be picked and strung
to welcome a guest to tropical paradise.
Incense.
Sandalwood.
Musky, earthy aromas
that waft from the bead covered entrances
of the small Oriental shops.
Fragrances that beckon to me...
"Come see.
Come touch.
Come experience."
Wandering aimlessly amongst the dusty wooden shelves.
Shelves
laden with china, brass, bone, ivory and wood.
Touching the treasures
causing one's mind to ponder times long ago and lands far away.
Mysterious cultures waiting to be explored and experienced.
Gentle ocean breezes...
Such an integral part of the island experience.
Breezes
warmed by the sun.
Breezes
gently caressing the land as they make their way along the coast
and up the mountains to the land on the other side.
Breezes
that soothe
and relax.
Almost hypnotic by nature
creating a state of euphoria -
carefree abandonment of all worries and problems.
Breezes that touch the skin and permeate to the inner being,
warming and cooling simultaneously.
Breezes that mingle with the damp salt sea air,
creating a smell unlike any other.
Even still today...
thirty-nine years later,
there are sights,
smells, and
touches
that open up the doors of my memory
and allow me to experience
a trip back through time.
1 comment:
This makes me nostalgic for the time we lived in Oahu, with the most beautiful Plumeria bushes right outside our door, and our trips up over the pali. Through your poetic writing, I can smell the smells and feel the damp breeze even though it was so many years ago!
Post a Comment