Roll Up

I haven’t smoked for years and sometimes miss
sprinkling aromatic Drum tobacco
on transparent paper,
rolling them between my fingers,

the lick, the kiss

of flame, the inhalation
as it ignites the tip –
but not the frustration
of peeling paper from my lip.

Kim M. Russell, 15th June 2020

Drum (tobacco) - Wikipedia
Image found on Wikipedia

My response to dVerse Poets Pub Quadrille Monday: Drum

The first things the word ‘drum’ brought to mind were my youth in Germany, summer days outside with friends playing guitar, drinking fruit beer and wine, and smoking roll-ups made from Drum tobacco, usually duty-free brought back from trips over the border to Holland – most of us were students and had hardly any money.

57 thoughts on “Roll Up

    1. Rizzlas – I always had a pack on me. I stopped smoking 27 years ago, and I’m glad I did. At the time it seemed cool – now I know better.

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  1. I’ve never smoked, but my grandfather rolled his own his whole life (made it to 89) He could do it one-handed, which looked pretty cool.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. When I lived in Germany, the lady opposite would sit every evening and roll perfect cigarettes for her husband to take to work the next day. Needless to say, she taught me how to roll!

      Liked by 1 person

  2. “the lick, the kiss of flame, the inhalation as it ignites the tip,” .. such vivid imagery! I resonate strongly with this one, Kim! 💝 I used to smoke hookah four years ago 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  3. Steady Beat
    Drum Roll
    Of my Father’s
    46-Year-Law-Enforcement
    Fearless-Cigarette-
    Smoke Father’s
    Day Present
    Mine
    NoW
    No Fear
    Only Addiction
    Heaven’s Dance
    Song Within Be
    Free No Badge
    FoR Me
    Just SMiLes…
    ChessHire Cat Style..:)

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Years ago our family was divided distinctly in two: the smokers and the non-smokers. My sweet aunt was a smoker and rolled her own cigarettes with Drum Tobacco and Player’s filtered tubes. This brought me back to watching her go through her ritual. Thanks for the memory reminder! I can somehow now smell that tobacco!

    Liked by 2 people

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