Sunday, October 16, 2011

A Spot of Honestea (and fearlessness)








A Spot of Honestea

Coffee used to bring
out the worst in me,
its potency
jangling my nerves.
Now it's better for
my psyche than tea.
Roasted beans, smooth or
bitter, are still just coffee buds.
I can trust what
I'm buying you see.

Speaking of tea, that Party is toxic
but I still do enjoy a spot.
I add honey (just a drop) —
but Sarah's their honey
(what a drip).
I hate to tear the bag a bit,
the leaves floating loose
in the brew.
Sarah leaves her brains behind,
her lips flapping loose
with her crew.

Speaking of loose, I much prefer
steeping it
in a glass pot to savor
the nuances of the blend.
It seems they favor
white bags — loud or bland —
the larger the better for
sleeping with.

Speaking of large, I do love
a heavy mug here in my hand,
one thick enough so I am
not burned,
They seem to love
a heavy gun right at their side,
one to have at the ready
if spurned.

Coffee used to bring
out the worst in me,
its potency
jangling my nerves.
Now it's better for
my psyche than tea.
Roasted beans, smooth or
bitter, are still just coffee buds.
I can trust what
I'm buying you see.

Speaking of tea, I still buy it
but I sure don't buy the Party.
Its idiocy
fucks with my psyche.
Toasted crumpets long forgot,
I despise the whole lot.
I don't trust what
they're selling you see.

                     MLydiaM ~ October 2011


I fearlessly offer this for Poetics at dVerse, where this week we are asked to consider  
Taboo Subjects: How to be Fearless and Nothing Less!
The prompt is the brainchid of host, Kellie Elmore, whose blog is Magic in the Backyard. At her blog she offers a Free Write Friday (FWF), where "One of my more recent FWF prompts was a challenge for writers to step out of their comfort zone and expand their play on words in order to confront those taboo subjects we fear."  Kellie mentioned "politics" as one of those subjects and that got me thinking......

I have a feeling that clicking on the link will lead you to all sorts of taboos this week!

.

19 comments:

Brian Miller said...

hahaha amen! nice...love me a good political poem...and you playfully come at it and bring some sad truth...ugh...we need solutions not rhetoric

Mary said...

Excellent. I was reading along and wondering what the taboo was; and then at the end it all became clear -- as clear as watered-down Tea!

twinkly sparkles said...

Excellent, Lydia. Thanks!

Rob-bear said...

I thoroughly enjoy a good cup of tea. Even a good pot of tea (takes me all day to drink it).
Tea Party? I think not. (I always thought those were for little girls.)
Amazing poem, Lydia.

hedgewitch said...

I don't think anyone in that 'movement' (define that one how you will) knows what they're buying--just manipulated by the people who'd like to make sure no one but they have a voice. Love this one--and besides, with coffee, you get cream, and cofeecake, and muffins...;_)

Fireblossom said...

Sarah needs to be hunted from the air in helicopters and shot with a trank dart, tagged, and then released in a wilderness area without any naturally occurring microphones!

Sheila said...

political and taboo with great metaphors to boot. nicely spun.

mythopolis said...

Yes the faction known as the Tea Party has totally screwed up this otherwise pleasant pastime. The tea companies should sue them for attaching their near-sighted ideology to their product!

Anonymous said...

Very clever--I love what you did here. Great taboo subject--you really went into the danger zone with this one.

Sharon Rose Thomas said...

You def were in the zone. Great deep expressions here. I am not buying anything anybodies selling right now.
I agree. Reads excellent here.

http://seeworldhere.wordpress.com/2011/10/16/our-world-today-they-know/

Rallentanda said...

The cleverness is in the subtlely.
Excellent poem.

Owen said...

Fabulously and fearlessly written, Lydia, this is wildly wonderful...

Here at our place in France, all those old tea bags ? We just put them in the compost ! That's the perfect place for them.

I already had a lot of respect for your vision and writing, but here you have taken us to a new and thoroughly enjoyable dimension.

One can't help but wonder why the USA seems to be tearing itself apart from inside... but one big reason is all the toxic waste we are subjected to from all directions. This coming election year frightens me already, I'm sure the toxicity levels are going to be rising from here until next November.

Anonymous said...

Really enjoyed this. Edgy flow.... love your work.

Ricardo Miñana said...

Beautiful well-wrought poem,
a pleasure to go through your beautiful space.
you have a happy week.
a hug.

Lydia said...

Brian~ There must be solutions, right? Let's keep looking.

Mary~ You are funny! I'm glad you figured it out, and thanks for being here.

twinkly sparkles~ This one was a struggle. I get too balled up inside to write well about political things..which is why I took on this challenge in the first place. :)

Rob-bear~ Tea parties are for little girls and should be relegated back to childhood where they belong. Wait. I wouldn't wish this one on anyone's childhood!

hedgewitch~ "Movement..." Oh, I wanted to take that and run with it but it is perfect just there!
Thanks for your wise observations.

Fireblossom~ Agree. Do you think the woman has any depth at all? I just do not see it...

Sheila~ Thank you for the encouragement. This was a tough one for me, but really good exercise because of it. :)

mythopolis~ Your comment makes me wonder if some tea companies have not had real difficulties with the association. Actually, there was a charming book store in downtown Salem named The Tea Party. The woman finally gave up and changed the name!

bodhirose~ Thank you for saying I went into the danger zone here, because it felt like that to me. As with any group, there must be some decent people in it. I just wanted to acknowledge that point. :)

Sharon Rose~ Thank you for your kind comments validating my having gone into a zone. I look forward to reading your (and everyone's) Poetics and will catch up in the next 24 hours!

Rallentanda~ Thank you so much. I appreciate your comment...and also your exotic name.

Owen~ Wow. Your comments really were lovely to read, as this one was difficult for me and when I sent it out into the world it was not my favorite child! But thanks so much!
And I, like you, am so concerned about the upcoming elections. I also wonder what effect the widespread Occupy movement will have, as it is a given there will definitely be an effect!

Matthew~ "Edgy flow"...I like that description. Because it doesn't flow smoothly, and I tried to correct that but those edges kept jutting out. :)

Ricardo~ I always feel warmed by your visits and comments at my blog. Your presence always lights up the space!

Kathe W. said...

yep- you got it all in this poem! Love it!
Never have gotten downtown to visit the "sleep in" been too busy readying our house to put on market and hopefully quickly sell!

hyperCRYPTICal said...

Oh my, this is cleverly brilliant. Just brilliant!

Anna :o]

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

Kathe~ Readying your house for the market? Surprising news.....what? did you decide to move to Scotland after your beautiful vacation there? I will come visit to see if you have explained at your blog.
I love your area, and would probably buy your house if we were looking to move up there. I think you will sell, because it is such an in-demand town (for good reasons).

HyperCRYPTICal~ Anna, I am kinda blushing here because I wanted to express more and it just didn't come for me. That you liked this anyway really touches me. Thank you (and for the follow...wow!)

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