She makes a Cup of Tea

I watch her hands tremble

Like windswept, unknowable flowers

drifted too far from the soil bed.

 

She shakes away the excess crystals,

the tasteless, white nothing

cascades from the never-quite-silver spoon

into the stained mug. 

her sublime nails are glossed

beyond perfection by nailpolish, 

that diamond in the platinum ring

glints in the television's halflight

which shows the Gaelic League game.

I could find in the white satin

of their scars untold stories,

feel their heritage and history,

how small flower like hands

can be snapped, broken, forced

into unspeakable corners and crevices,

how the slower pulse

is testament to the cruelty of men

but I only watch sugar

falling like tears

or snowflakes on the last winter flowers.

Reviews

[zainul]

I love to read and recite the whole poem to enjoy the taste of a cup of tea.
The preparation of the tea appears as an epic.How you conceived such a plot to
depict the cruelty of men!
The last stanza compels me to repeat like the replay of a game.
"but I only watch sugar

falling like tears

or snowflakes on the last winter flowers."

[fireblossom]

Lovely. You observe sublimely. Past the scars and into reality goes Sel. What a world what a world...

What an eye for truth..

[Antonio Valentino]

I could find in the white satin


of their scars untold stories,

feel their heritage and history,

how small flower like hands

can be snapped, broken, forced

into unspeakable corners and crevices,

how the slower pulse


is testament to the cruelty of men




but I only watch sugar

falling like tears

or snowflakes on the last winter flowers.


woweee! that was quite beautiful, I'm jealous lol!

:)

[Leslie Philibert]

Great poem,and it proves that great literature can be produced from just small, seemingly unimportant moments.Good work.

[fireblossom]

Brilliant. Touching.

[Luke Ritta]

Very good poem............powerful!

[Lydia Blackwell]

this is so beautiful. what a lovely description of an ordinary activity, but not an ordinary life. I like the hints of so many factors involved. it explains how lives can be so complex, so full of hidden memories that some people never know about or see- unless- they take the time to find out. i also love the imagery about the flowers or snowflakes. it really captures the movement and presents it like a gift. well done!

[J. Marc]

It is very well written even if there is a diffuse sadness and melancholy in the whole setting. It is powerful and entices the imagination of the reader to create very many images, hence making the experience quite personal. The cruelty of all men? I cannot totally agree.......

[Ike L. Obidike]

Couldn't be written more better. Impressive!

[Emily]

Impeccable detail. I love your use of language, "like windswept, unknowable flowers". Just beautiful. I look forward to reading more of your work.