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Saturday 10 October 2015

CREME DE MENTHE

Fourteenth Boxing Day at Auntie Blanche's.
The appetising aroma of roasting turkey
pervading every room of her three-storey house.
The entire family gathered, drinking cocktails.
Auntie's face flushed red, absurd and clown-like
in contrast to her pale blonde hair.
Being the only juvenile present, I felt left out
of their increasingly loud jocularity.
Becoming resentful, I opened my mouth to protest.
But she, ever the empath, turned to me,
took my hand and led me to the scullery.
Aah...that mysterious place
where her special glass-fronted cabinet
stood in it's alcove.
How it's contents had always
fascinated me:
a myriad of miniature bottles with exotic labels
that contained liquids in every colour imaginable.
Always strictly out of bounds to me-of course,
but that only made me covet them all the more.
Then, as if on impulse,
she quickly took a key from a drawer
and unlocked the double doors,
opening them wide.
"Choose one," she said, "Go on!"
I scrutinised her face intently
thinking it some kind of cruel joke.
But she smiled encouragingly and repeated,
"Go on!"
It took me a full twenty minutes
to make my selection -
there were so many to choose from.
I eventually decided on the Creme de Menthe
and how my hand shook as I reached
into that hitherto strictly forbidden place
to take it out.
And the taste, as I sipped from a sculptured liqueur glass
was utterly exquisite - all I had ever imagined, and much, much more.

Then, that evening the first blood came.
Nothing was ever the same after that remarkable day...
It felt like I'd finally come-of-age.

33 comments:

  1. How delightful, dearest Ygraine! Even being a non-drinker, I could still feel the excitement of Auntie's gift and to be able to take "fruit" from the "forbidden place"...how exciting!!!

    Lots of Hugs and love
    xoxoxo

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    1. Thank you so much, dearest Jan! Your kind words always lift my spirits - even on the most difficult days.
      Have a wonderful week, my dear friend...
      And Lots of Love xoxoxo

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  2. I visualized everything I read - I always do with your poems and also Jan's and Margie's and Daisy's...I guess I'm not really meant to write poetry (although I have in the past) but to witness it and see it .... from others. This poem was magical and i just loved it so much.

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    1. Oh please do write some poetry again, Sandy...you display such talent in your wonderful photographs...so I just know you could work the same magic in words!
      Thank you so much for your more than kind comment...it is so appreciated...:))

      Big Hugs xoxoxo

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  3. Wonderful of course.. Love the story. Reminded me of my first taste..

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    1. A true story this time, Anthony...so happy you enjoyed...and many, many thanks! :))

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  4. A wonderful piece, so vivid and memorable. Thanks for sharing and greetings!

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    1. Oh thank you so much, "B"...I truly appreciate that!

      Greetings from sunny Cornwall...:))

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  5. Dearest Ygraine, I really like your new profile pic. I feel as though I am right in your poems, they are so vivid and magical. Thank you so much for sharing.

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    1. Thank you so much, my dearest Linda...you really are so kind.
      So happy you liked the picture. I thought it was time I had a new one! *smiles*
      Have a wonderful day.
      xoxoxo

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  6. What beautiful poem Ygraine :)
    Send you a lot of hugs and love :)

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    1. Oh thank you so much, my dear friend...and sending back much Love & Hugs xoxoxo

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  7. As someone who has had creme de menthe (although we called it something else in Spanish, I'm sure) I really appreciate your poem/anecdote. The menthe warms your inside ever so slowly and calmly. I am assuming that it would be better to have in a cold climate like the British one (especially around Christmas time) than in a warm one like the Cuban one. I enjoyed this post so much. Thanks for the memories.

    Greetings from London.

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    1. Yes, it was that wonderful, warm and uplifting feeling that has stayed so vivid in my memory ever since.
      When I drink creme de menthe now...I find myself spirited back to that day...and that magical first taste!
      Thank you so much.:)

      Greetings from a gloriously sunny Cornwall. :))

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  8. __Great "Y"_!

    That "hitherto strictly forbidden place." /and/ "I'd finally come of age."
    __Those moments that change and adjust your overall views of... "time and the importance of life's processes," state the whole story.

    today
    I step fore tomorrow
    one drop

    _m

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    1. Oh how I love your haiku, Doug...sums up the experience in a way I never could...
      Thank you so much.:))

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  9. A VERY evocative poem Ygraine. Brought some memories to mind for me too (some good, some...) of family dinners, relatives and friends...you really brought this experience to life, well done.

    Have a wonderful weekend, it's Thanksgiving weekend, here in Canada. :-)

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    1. Oh wow...thank you, Geraldine...so, so much!

      Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.
      We don't celebrate it here in UK...wish we did...!

      Big Hugs xoxoxo

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  10. Replies
    1. Many thanks...I really appreciate that.:))

      Have a great day!

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  11. This is pretty excellent, you always have the most fab punch lines ever :) Wonderful read Ygraine xx

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    1. Oh thank you so much, Rose...and really great to hear from you!
      I do hope all is good with you.

      Big Hugs and have a fabulous weekend xoxoxo

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  12. Your poetry here is stunning, and visually brilliant piece.

    So memorable and beautiful.

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    1. Thank you, Charlie...that is truly appreciated!

      Have a great weekend :))

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  13. Such vivid description. Although I'm no fan of any of such drink but I can imagine how it might have felt like being treated like an adult.

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    1. Yes, I still remember how good it felt to finally be recognised as "one of them"...even after all these years!
      Many thanks, my friend. :))

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  14. Desde luego un poema muy chulo..te envío un beso desde murcia....y que te vaya todo muy bien éste invierno...

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    1. My heart-felt thanks, Alp...your kind words really mean so much.

      Wishing you a fabulous weekend! :))

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  15. Desde luego un poema muy chulo..te envío un beso desde murcia....y que te vaya todo muy bien éste invierno...

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    1. Thank you so much, Alp...so happy you enjoyed...:)

      A Hug and a Kiss from England :))

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  16. Boa tarde, a sua bela escrita é fantastica, escreve fácil para fácil compreensão.
    AG

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    1. Oh thank you, AG...so happy you enjoyed...:)

      Have a great weekend! :))

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