"Freedom smells of a freshly painted room,
of wooden floors swept with a willow broom,
and of stale raisin bread."
This from "Painting a Room" by Katia Kapovich
The poem itself is lovely and bittersweet as the contrasting smells of fresh paint and stale bread suggest. With an immigration visa in her pocket, the speaker is painting a room in preparation to leave. Gently the poem evokes the cost of freedom that is won by leaving behind or giving up.
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