I woke up this morning around 6:30, my eyes clouded and heavy from a short night of sleep. I walked over, flipped on the light and hit the button on my coffee maker before I opened the door and went to use the restroom.
When I came back, I could detect one scent before I even opened the door: the nectar of the Gods, fresh and warm in the pot. The aroma from far was a rich, strong aroma that only enticed me to pour myself a cup - or three - before I officially started my day.
As I got closer to the coffee maker and began pouring the coffee into my mug, the dark roast - with a subtle hint of cocoa and nuts- engulfed my entire nasal. The smell made me pause for a second and reflect on my coffee drinking career; I think I've had at least one cup of coffee per day since I was sixteen, starting off with sweet, cream-filled, sugar-loaded cups and slowly progressing to the rich, complex and potent smell of the black Starbucks Verona Blend that I drink today.
And right before I took that first sip, with the heat only enhancing the smell and keeping it as the dominant fragrance in my nostrils, the aroma of the coffee got even stronger, as the slightly nutty scent went up my nostrils more further and further. And before I even was able to put my lips on the mug, the strength of the coffee's transfixing, distinct smell removed the heaviness from my eyes, thus prepping me for another day on the grind.
No more nostrils!
ReplyDeleteMany more puns like "grind." Well, I'm not sure if I need many more. . .
Anyway, I like this, but I think you could do more with it. Many people have this experience. What's new about yours? What more compelling commentary or realization can come from the high concept of "Chris drinks coffee."
Group. Push him.
Dave
I agree with Dave in the sense that this feeling isn't particularly unique to you — at least in the way you describe it.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you could touch less on your "coffee drinking career" and more on the feeling you get when you first get a whiff of your brew on a given morning. Does it zap your brain to attention? *What* exactly invigorates you about the coffee? Touch on the feeling you get when the caffeine enters your bloodstream, maybe?
I agree as well; this essay describes a fairly typical experience without enriching it with your personality or making it seem particularly important. You have some instances of good language here - "the dark roast - with a subtle hint of cocoa and nuts" really got me smelling your particular blend of coffee - but the majority of it is far more bland than I would expect such a transportive experience to be. I do like the "grind" pun, but there's lots of room to expand here and really push your boundaries. Describe the morning as it unfolds around you through the lens of coffee. Make us breathe in with you and open our eyes to the newly awake world.
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