Ode to an Inhale - Pembroke King
I’m building an altar to an olfactory god,
known only in quiet moments
the pine and leather of a lover
the honey and lavender of a friend
the rose and tonka of a stranger
These acolytes attend to me, keep me fed
In moments of hunger, they come hither –
gift me rags of resin,
parchment of petrichor
I delicately wrap them around myself,
and burrow into the soft musk
of relics bestowed by a god
who speaks only to my nose
Pembroke King (she/her) is a poet and writer from New England, now based in Amsterdam. Focused on the surreal and the nostalgic, her work has been featured in various digital publications, zines, and poetry compilations. King’s creative practice involves a playful deconstruction of conventional linguistic structures, challenging and redefining the boundaries of textual form. She finds herself most at home in thresholds and underworlds. You can keep up with her work on Instagram @pembroke.king, and Substack @pembroke
