Bathroom of the Vanities
The model mask, the mannequin moue,
the face I loved to catch her pulling
after sundry perfecting dabs
and micro-adjustments in front of the mirror
will never be seen, by me or the mirror, again.
......
Odd bottles in an orderly queue -
Issey Miyake, Parum, Tea Rose, the eternal billing
doves of L'Air du Temps - keep their caps
on, converse their last drops of essence and aura
and wait for no one.
Christopher Reid
How poignant thinking about all our lotions, potions, scents which we will leave behind.
The memories scents evoke...
I love how the daily mundane task of making yourself acceptable becomes a thing of poignancy to him.
ReplyDeleteHope your move goes well!
Hello, I hope packing is going okay, I don't enjoy it very much! You're very right I love that poem- and I think you can guess why!
ReplyDeleteI saw Christopher Reid give a reading of The Scattering - to say there wasn't a dry eye in the house is an understatement! A truly lovely collection - and what a wonderful elegy for his wife.
ReplyDeleteBloomsbury Bell - how lucky you were wow!
ReplyDeleteRose - Glad you like the poem.
Tonia - what true words...
Scents are huge memory evokers for me! I've joked about making a perfume scrapbook for years (still trying to figure out how to do that...) From 9th grade Sun Riped Raspberry Bath & Body Works, to the scent I wore on our wedding day - one whiff can just take me back :) What a great tie in to your situation!
ReplyDeleteI have kept a bottle of my mum's but still find it too sad to use it.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a nice poem. Quite thought-provoking. Almost sad...
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy where you are moving to! Good luck with the move!
Lovely poem! Hope your move goes well. It is always sad to leave a place even in good circumstances. But here's hoping that where you are going is bigger, better, and quickly filled with wonderful memories!
ReplyDelete