A Little Pot of Basil for Santo António — Epoche A1
In June, Lisbon smells of grilled sardines. Last night my street had paper flags and music for Santo António, the saint of the city. This morning my neighbour Dona Rosa gave me a manjerico - a little pot of basil, round like a green ball, with a red paper flower and a small flag. On the flag is a short poem, four lines, about love and this street. "Do not smell it with your nose," she said. "The plant dies." You pass your hand over the leaves, soft, and then smell your hand. The basil is on my window now. My hand smells green.