Jacobsen’s Organ
Bellow’s of air through Jacobsen’s Organ
change smells instrument to sound and vision.
These two small olfactory sense organs
where Mom’s cooking lies upon an axon,
once, and still, called the Vomeronasal.
Ludwig Jacobsen called it an organ,
base of nasal in a crescent lumen
tucked in between sweet blankets of new scent
that bring to mind colors of long sunsets,
details of wallpaper from where your born,
illustrations of lucid memory,
smell to bring back the feel of sensory.
Some say it only helps wild snakes find prey,
Salamanders use Jacobsen’s Organ,
let dogs keep track of the smells of the day,
Painted Turtles smell territory,
some say that with our enlightened vision
humans have lost through evolution
use of this Organ, when I close my eyes
and frame a colorful portrait of smell
as I see the faces of loves detail,
softness of their skin in olfactory,
reexamine definition of sense
realize the greatness of such small vents.
So how does this work, this sense of our scent?
Axons project to the Accessory
Olfactory Bulbs, double normal scent
bulbs, then hit the Amygdala, meant
for Hypothalamus, central Organ.
Where memory is targeted and sent
deep into the mass of mind where pent
up life is released and sent on missions
In Technicolor, religious vision
seen without our eyes, what a power scent
has on our psyche, is this what they call
the place where we hide, the place called the soul.
I banter on about vision and smell
In reproductive behavior, our scent
of a phermone can bring on arousal,
a dream of sex, a sexy proposal.
To have fallen in love in late May
smells of delicate colorful petals
linger in your nostrils, your soul.
If love is found through Jacobsen’s Organ,
that feeling that stays, lingers in vision,
as if you must have it, to hold it all,
until you hold a certain phermone
forever, oh Jacobsen’s Organ.
The Nucleas of Stria Termin-
alis lies smells of colors of fall,
life condensed into poetic visions,
a smell that could be a master plan
bring us together with powerful scent,
as much power as sight, or as touch can
produce. There maybe other organs
that work hard to keep us at play
that work together as a team everyday,
our hearts, our lungs, and other organs,
you seem in command Jacobsen’s Organ,
you lead our team Jacobsen’s Organ.
Jacobsen found his powerful organ
and we saw it as part of Darwin’s plan.
There is so much more to our sense of scent,
Seems to be remind us to go out and play.
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Wow, Jamie, I am impressed. What an intelligent poem, and a biology lesson all in one. Well done.
This poem was motivated by a book entitled “Jacobsen’s Organ.” It was a great read for a science book. Thank you John for stopping by!
Jamie I love how you artfully,skillfully used your sense of mental creativity to craft this brilliant smorgasborg of olfactory senses. For without them we animals would not function properly in so many ways. Bravo, very well constructed work.
Thank you for your kindness Vincent.
Wonderful Jamie, a lesson of biology woven into prose, and inspiring it is, what God have given us all in ability to relate to our environment and survive. Great, really enjoyed the work. Cheers!
Cheers! What a fun poem this was to write.