Friday, January 11, 2008

Carol Ann Duffy

TEA

I like pouring your tea, lifting
the heavy pot, and tipping it up,
so the fragrant liquid streams in your china cup.

Or when you’re away, or at work,
I like to think of your cupped hands as you sip,
as you sip, of the faint half-smile of your lips.

I like the questions – sugar? – milk? –
and the answers I don’t know by heart, yet,
for I see your soul in your eyes, and I forget.

Jasmine, Gunpowder, Assam, Earl Grey, Ceylon,
I love tea’s names. Which tea would you like? I say
but it’s any tea for you, please, any time of day,

as the women harvest the slopes
for the sweetest leaves, on Mount Wu-Yi,
and I am your lover, smitten, straining your tea.

7 comments:

Katherine said...

I don't know how often I've experienced this quiet pleasure.

August

Katherine said...

If anyone has access to more Duffy poems, please let me know.

August

Glamourpuss said...

She is an absolute master of the art.

Not a lot of her stuff is online, but it s worth digging out. Let me know if I can help.

Puss

David said...

Perfection.

adore said...

I just discovered this blog. I am so happy. This is incredible! Thanks

Annie said...

Love this poem! I'm putting a link for this on my tea blog www.imalittleteapot.co.uk - hope that's ok!

Annie

Annie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.