Nircle · | 5 likes, 9 comments. -

@pamelaowusuansah081303
1 year ago

Aroma Of Home

It was that same aroma, that same aroma that made me giggle with delight
16 years ago.
Mama gazed at the baby with disbelief as she exchanged looks
between the baby and the palatable meal she was cooking up.
She dipped her finger
in the bubbling Abunuabunu soup and dropped it on the baby's tongue making nom-nom
and sniggering even more.
The burst of flavours, the distinction of spices, and the juice
of fresh seafood blended with the taste of Nwa 'snail' and Emmire 'mushroom' made the soup
even tastier.
The deep green soup made from kontomire'taro leaves' was deeply ingrained
in my memory like a total solar eclipse, it was the first time I tasted such delicacy
and it became my favorite ever since.

Mama yelled out to Kofi, my big brother, who came out scrambling and almost fell to his knees.
"Bring the Asankas," Mama said. Big Brother went in and appeared with three big Asankas.
I counted, one for Kofi, another for Mama, and the final one for Dada, but where was mine?
Then came out the sweet annoying wails.
Mama picked me up believing I was hungry,
and placed her breast in my mouth to nurse.
Milk, I craved fufu and abunuabunu nkwan,
I cried out in my head, but I was indeed hungry so I had to latch anyway.
After I had been nursed to my heart's content and had almost choked on the milk,
mama burped me, laying me down calmly.

Mama proceeded with moulding the fufu, a dish made with borɔdeɛ 'plantain' and bankye 'cassava',
into a lovely spherical shape with her hands and placed it in her bowl, two square chunks of fufu
into Dada's bowl and so she did Kofi, a big chunk into his bowl desired like the glutton he was.
Mama set up a table in the middle of the courtyard and placed the Asankas on the table setting
the soup in the middle.
She started scooping the soup, pouring the thick green liquid on the fufu.
The tantalizing fragrance wafted up the entire compound.
Shortly after Mama had dished out
the soup on each one's respective food dada came home.
Mama greeted him with a hug.
Kofi emerged from the house and shrieked dada leaping into his embrace.
Dada reached out from his pocket bringing out a small carved wooden bicycle to the astonished Kofi.
He leaped up with glee singing all sorts of appellations for Dada as though he were a king.
Kofi took Dada's suitcase inside and came out for it was time for supper.
The dazzling family of three sat down and ate whilst they discarded me to be solo.
I'm sure they thought, she was but only a baby she demands no company.
I groked at them drooling, lost in my tiny world, gawking up in the skies.

The noon sky was a canvas of joy, where the sun was painted with golden rays,
the clouds danced with gentle grace, and the birds sang with cheerful voices.
I was there at that moment to see all that magic but vanished with the fleeting wind
as one soars through the journey called life.
I don't remember as my memory is vague.
Mama cuddled me up and fed me soup.
I think that was one of the delicate reminiscences
as a baby although my mind is a bit hazy.
And now, 16 years later I am proudly preparing
this delicacy filled with triumph as the aroma drifted up the kitchen.
#poetry
#flavoursofhome