When weariness draws dreamland nigh
Going through motions, relaxed sighs
Tiny match light touches incense
Thin snaking smoke of varied scents lazily rise
Powdered sticks, olfactory joy
of roses, lilacs, sweetly coy;
some heavy sage or pink vervain,
their tendrils rising just the same — heaven’s deploy.
Nightly rituals, prayers said
Aroma blanket cushions bed
It asks little but gives so much
Humble protection with its touch vanquishes dread.
Gina is the hostess at dverse this evening. She has asked us to consider the ordinary things in our lives that, “present themselves to make our lives a little easier and a lot happier.” An ordinary thing that has done just that for me has been incense. It makes sleep arrive swiftly, knowing it willingly gives itself to my protection, both awake and in the dreamworld.
I offer today a 3-stanza florette in honor of humble incense.
I’m also linking this to earthweal’s Open Link Weekend.
Tao Talk 
this was lovely and dreamy, your words as aromatic as the incense you write about. the form fits the mood you have created or maybe created the mood, as it wraps the words at the end of each stanza. the poem itself is enough to lullaby me to a deep peaceful sleep. thank you for writing this, a lovely tribute to the humble incense and the simple joy of good sleep. really beautiful!
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Gina thank you so much. I’m glad it connected with you and the feedback is appreciated <3
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Well crafted and fragrant too! Well done! Jim
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Thank you, Jim, the feedback is appreciated.
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Nice.
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I can smell the insense and hear the tinkling of strings as music plays. Maybe even beads hanging on long strings in the doorway as well!. Well Done!
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your imagination has created a lovely place :)
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Yes!
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The words drift. You almost reconcile me to incense :)
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have you tried the kind without bamboo sticks in it? if you haven’t you should. i will get you burning it yet ;)
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I didn’t know any of them had bamboo sticks in them. The New Age style boutiques burn it, the Lebanese and the North Africans and it all smells horrible to me. It gets into your clothes, like the smell of curry or coriander.
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if there is a long stick underneath where the incense is attached it’s bamboo “punk”. that has a noxious odor to it when it burns. check out nipponkodo.com and you’ll see the kind without bamboo
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I think all the kinds I’ve seen have a stick attached. It’s so they can fit in those little holders…
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every box of nippon kodo comes with a small ceramic incense holder. you put it in and it stands vertically. just have to have it on a surface/plate/etc. to catch the ash
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And it doesn’t smell like hippie clothes shops?
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there are dozens of scents to choose from, not sure if that is one they are offering ;)
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I bet they are, for the retro appeal :)
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Rob Kistner, I accidentally deleted your comment but wanted to thank you for the feedback. There is a key combo, when hit, that instantly deletes comments and there is no recovering them :(
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I love this, and I love the smell of good incense…
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thank you, yes it does…
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Incense, as you know too well Li, are a part of religious rituals in my part of the world and this your beautiful florette created created such a serene atmosphere.
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Punam, I’m so glad you found it serene. It is part of my rituals that I consider religious, so that’s probably why <3
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Oh I do love the scents in this… a wonderful poem that made want to add some incense to my evening.
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vervain!
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Love the way you blend the senses here, especially the tendril of smoke.
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Thank you, Teresa, glad you like it.
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Oh my Gosh! i had a Cold
And Lost my Sense of
Smell and Flavors For
A Whole year and
Even More
Amazingly A
Once Grinch Heart
Grew Grew 10 times Brighter in
Compensation for the lost Flavors..
Life Brings
A Greater
Magic in
Light out of Dark
For those who Do Believe..
Merry Christmas From Santa! With Poor Taste..
Got Stuck Playing Frosty And Rudolph again too..;)
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<3
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:)!
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I like the florette form, nice sound.
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Thank you, Frank.
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Olfactory joy is my favorite phrase here. Lovely capture of an “ordinary” item and the extraordinary-ness surrounding it.
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I’m glad you enjoyed it and appreciate your feedback.
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I love incense too. Amazing, the lift it gives. I especially love Nag Champa from the Himalayas, which transport me briefly to Tibet.
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Cool on the incense. I haven’t smelled Nag Champa from the Himalayas, but a transport to Tibet sounds pleasing :)
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I can smell that ‘thin snaking smoke of varied scents’, Lisa, and I love joss sticks. My current favourite scent is chamomile.
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Ooh! I haven’t tried chamomile scent yet either. Sounds like I have to add a couple to the list for the next order.
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I love the sense here that incense is a sweet-smelling veil, covering one’s fear and creating an enveloping peace. – Brendan
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Thank you, Brendan, it is.
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