I smell something.
I smell something strange
and I think that I’m worried
but nobody else has commented
and what do I know?
I have a lousy sense of smell.
I’ve had a stuffed nose
since before puberty
(no relation).

(I assume there’s no relation).

(Why would there be
any relation
between puberty
and a historical inability to smell?
That would just be bizarre).

It’s probably nothing.
It’s most certainly nothing.
Better minds than mine
have looked into, certainly,
and guessed and assessed
that there is no smell
and no danger

associated with the absence of smell
and everything is all right after all
and nothing at all could possible go wrong
and we will survive
this horribly deathlike stench
that permeates everything
and Lord please forgive me
I had no idea what I was doing with my nose
those prepubescent months
and I shall never –

It’s all right.

Nothing rotten here…
We are in a place
which does absolutely not
stink to high heaven
and all is truly right with the world.