The Scent of Mom

Momma,
I sniffed the candle
that once was yours,
inhaling the fragrant lilac scent
you loved so much!

The aroma smelled
like lovely lilacs,
one of your favorite flowers.

I lifted the lid,
with a little tug,
to open the candle
housed in the jar.

How tight the lid
was since it had not been opened
for quite some time.

“Momma’s candle”
as I always called it;
for that’s what it was.

I lit the candle,
anxiously awaiting its lilac scent
to permeate the room.
However, the scent wasn’t there!

Yet, when I blew out the candle,
a smoky odor filled the air.
When the smoke cleared,
I sniffed it again.

This time, ahhh, I breathed in
the luxurious lavish lilac scent
one more time.

Momma has been gone almost six years.
Who knows how long she had her prized candle?
How often she lit it?
When was the last time?

Holding the unlit candle close to my nostrils
the lilac scent emerged from the jar
bringing back the fragrance that was you.

As time passed, the scent of the lit candle
evaporated, most likely due to age.

Now, as I sniff the unlit candle,
there is very little lilac scent.
It’s gone, just like you, Momma.
Just like you.

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Read more by Marlene Wolff Solomon.