Stage Directions For An Unwritten Play

a prose poem that might one day turn into a play

An old man in a kitchen prepares tea.

Carefully lighting a gas stove with matches

he boils water in a heavy enamel kettle.

With hands hidden by wool gloves he

pours water into a large brown teapot.

After warming the pot he puts four

teaspoons full of black tea into the pot;

he then adds the rest of the water and waits

for the tea to brew. Adding milk, he pours

the tea into a cracked beaker with 

a picture of the Queen.

From the main road in front of his house

comes the noise of traffic.

Author's Note

I am fed up with emotions. I wanted to write something that evokes feelings in a situative
manner, not with the standard poetical imagery I often write.This is supposed to sound
like the start of a forgotten play from Samuel Beckett. An experiment !

Reviews

[The Lost Poetry Files]

Very much enjoyed this....would love it to follow on :)

[Jack Cassidy]

This is a great work. I liked the imagery, very concise, sharp... He does seem to be "out of his head," maybe rehashing some old memories.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and it feels that his life is as cracked as his tea cup...but it is very real...as real as the traffic passing by his life.

quite good this is...and the experiment worked pretty well...

i imagined myself sitting in the audience, seeing this prelude and then thinking to myself..."i'm intrigued, where is this going to go next?"

[Horizon K.]

Traffic to break the the tranquility of this moment. Very interesting and I wonder where his thoughts are... With the tea, the traffic, or some other place. And I understand how you feel too, about wanting to write/read something not about emotions. And as far as it becoming a play... You never know what image will awaken such an inspiration.