Taste the Day

Go outside
face each morning
no matter the weather
keen in one long inhale, slowly
and taste the day.

If it’s freezing cold, dry
nose-stinging, chilly,
there’s clean mint, a menthol tang
to lick the mouth from within,
scouring ruddy cheeks
and tapping peppermint tunes upon teeth.

In brilliant sunshine,
those few smooth,
but languid torpid days
that stretch as soft toffee,
and taste of buttered lemons,
sweet sticky afternoons that meander
dribbling from one’s chin.

Mysterious thick creamy fog
pronounces the flavour of cheese,
unfathomable density
ripe, firm and cautious,
a lingering moisture-filled paste
lays heavy on the tongue.

But rain, its heavy thick-fat droplets
sting the senses with metallic shards
smoke, salt and tar, Barolo wine amongst
the grateful flowerheads.

Go out, go out and taste the day
go out and drink it in
long floral draughts,
bathe in the morning’s feast.

© Graham Sherwood 01/2018