Hello, Poetry Friend
Making tea is a ritual — a short one. Boil the filtered water to the best temperature in the electric tea kettle. Light the tealight. Select the teabag(s) or spoon the loose tea into the cute basket. Set tea in the teapot and pour in the water.
Wait. When the waiting ends — How long, O Lord? — remove the teabags or basket.
This ritual is how I know I am about to write.
AT TIMES LIKE THIS, TEA Forget complicated instructions. Ignore those who say you must try this you must do that. Buy tea that sounds yummy. Brew it. If you like it sweet, add sweet. If you don’t, don’t. You are not under surveillance by the tea police as you top your fine English breakfast with Reddi Wip. Sip. People across this blue-green world drink with you. Breathe flavor. Today — Joy. In a few minutes, the leaves unfurl and so do I. The laptop anticipates my next move. Most days the tea runs out before the words. – Megan Willome this poem first appeared at Tweetspeak Poetry
Tea master Genshitsu Sen says, “There is a sweetness in the astringency” of tea. I prefer to oversteep my tea so I can taste that astringency. I like my tea a little bit bitter. I suspect upping my tolerance for bitter tea makes me say, No thank you, to emotional bitterness. I have not patented this method, but you are welcome to try it. You are also welcome to make your tea as sweet as humanly possible, if that’s what you need.
Steep. Pour. Sip. Write.
When the cup and the teapot are empty, repeat.
Happy poeming!
Megan
"Buy tea that sounds yummy. Brew it.
Steep. Pour. Sip. Write."
LOVE THIS, Megan:)