Cool Blue

Photo by Thomas Stephan on Unsplash

The smell of cigarette smoke
used to repulse me,
but now
it’s almost comforting
the way it lingers on people’s clothes,
holding them hostage
in their addiction.

There is this one man in particular
who always comes into the store
asking for a pack of
Cool Blues
in his beautiful southern drawl
and the way Blue
rolls off his tongue,
you’d think
it’s the most beautiful color in the world.

Last Tuesday,
the sun came through the front windows
and hit his eyes just right and,
in that moment,
I had to wholeheartedly agree.

Now the color blue
smells like nicotine
and southern heat,
and thoughts of places I’ve never been
are starting to feel like
home.

© Gina Clingan 2017

From my book, Everything After, which can be purchased here.