The Leaves, They Remain

Poetry Pals? More like Poe-tea Pals!

A cup of tea seems ordinary for many, especially in the UK. Kettle on, teabag in, bish bash bosh!

For me, tea is my main hobby. I seek out boutique teas, loose-leaf, often from small family farms or from factories that don't supply much at all to a western-facing audience. The type of stuff that requires specialist vendors.

I tend to brew my tea in a gaiwan, which steeps a large amount of leaf for just a few seconds. I re-steep 10-20 times in sessions that can last a meditative hour or two, or span a large part of my day.

And while I do this daily, it's anything but ordinary.

One of my tea brewing gaiwans alongside a handmade cup gifted by a dear friend

After reading this week's writing prompt on Poetry Pals, and seeing Pat Schneider's poem "The Practice of Ordinary Things", I wanted to write a piece that looked at how ordinary can be extraordinary and vice versa. Nelly Bryce gave this writing prompt:

"Write a poem about the persistence and generosity of ordinary things and invisible joys."

I used several of the terms within the prompt in my poem, as I explored the contradiction that tea can be as dignified as it is everyday. There is persistence and generosity in the leaves, which we can enjoy in a multitude of ways. The range of experiences differ, but the tea leaves are still tea leaves. They offer their own range of tastes, mouthfeels, and qualities, yet they are the same plant. The plant persists and brings us together, despite differences.

It seemed fitting to title the piece with a slight play on words: "The Leaves, They Remain"

Whether treated as an invisible part of our day-to-day or given great majesty, the humble leaves don't show off unless we choose to focus. The leaves see us take them for granted and value their every vein simultaneously. And they persist.

No matter how we drink up, we can accept joy. As Nelly Bryce says, "Oh the generosity of the ordinary".

---

The Leaves, They Remain

It stays with me, because

Decadence in everyday deceives

In the best ways possible.

I take your simple pleasure

With a gusto that confuses you,

So you just smile politely.

Our experiences here

Differ, yet bring their own completeness

At a personal level.

You don't think about it much—

An unseen ritual. A moment

Of calm, invisible joys.

It carries on, this humble

Thirst. Again and again it calls you

And me. Individuals.

What brings us together is

Persistence in the tool; not in us.

Our sense of control, untrue.

We're actually not all that

Different. We're extraordinary and

Ordinary. Room for both.

With your polite smiles, I give

You a cup. You offer the same to

Me. And we both accept joy.

Poetry (pen) Pals #19

If you want to hear my recommendations for some of my favourite specialist tea vendors, let me know and I’ll spill the beans teas!