By Sabita Sarma
A cup of tea
It’s always time for a cup of tea
with friends or you and me
morning day evening or noon
the next cup is never too soon
start a fresh dewy morn
or mull over thoughts of sweet forlorn
revive foggy cells to a vision clear
or bring to life a bygone day nostalgia
relieve a headache
fix a heartache
wash away the tears
with a cup that cheers!
Cutting chai or by two
kadak chai will surely do
mint lemon ginger spice
bubble boba honey and ice
matka masala churned po cha
sweet buttered gurgur cha
suit your mood town or city
with your own cup of tea!
Spring heralding first flush
fall signaling autumnal blush
monsoon hale and muddy slush
has made my kettle hiss in a rush
sipped from a cup mug or tumbler
or noisily slurped off a saucer
crunch a pakora or munch a scone
set up a ceremony or formal tone
dip a biscuit or samosa
tea etiquette how does it matter
live the warmth of a rejuvenating balm
or slip into a vacant thoughtless calm
From chai pe charcha
to political morcha
you grace a party
never mind it’s Boston high sea
from field to cup it’s an arduous trip
let no slip between cup and lip
many a cup and never in stupor
steep in the words of William Cowper
‘The cup that cheers but not inebriates’