Tea Poems vary just like tea does… They can whisk you away to an exotic land or an afternoon adventure with faerie folk… Make a perfect backdrop for a romantic-themed tea party… Or lull you gently into the meditative art of tea.
My Tea Poems Part One blog (1) a month or so ago, featured monks, immortals, willows and serenitea. This follow up is old boots, moonshine, golden kettles and faerie cake…
The Best Quality Tea
Must have creases like the leather boot of tartar horsemen, curl like the dewlap of a mighty bullock, unfold like a mist rising out a ravine, gleam like a lake touched by a zephyr, and be wet and soft like a fine earth heavily swept by rain. ~ Lu Yu (2)
LuYu Visits a Tea Water Well
On a cold winter night
A friend dropped by.
We did not drink wine
But instead drank tea.
The kettle bubbled,
The coals glowed,
The bright moon shone
Outside my window.
The moon itself
Was nothing special –
But, oh, the plum-tree blossoms! ~ Tu Hsiao Shan, Song Dynasty (3)
Teatime Poem
When the world is all at odds, and the mind is all at sea.
Then cease the useless tedium, and brew a cup of tea.
There is magic in its fragrance, there is solace in its taste.
And the laden moments vanish, somehow into space.
The world becomes a lovely thing, there’s beauty as you’ll see.
All becuase you briefly stopped to brew a cup of tea. ~ Anonymous
The Way of Tea
A friend presented me
With tender leaves of Oolong tea,
For which I chose a kettle
Of ivory-mounted gold,
A mixing-bowl of snow-white earth.
With its clear bright froth and fragrance,
It was like the nectar of Immortals.
The first bowl washed the cobwebs from my mind –
The whole world seemed to sparkle.
A second cleansed my spirit
Like purifying showers of rain,
A third and I was one of the Immortals –
What need now for austerities
To purge our human sorrows?
Worldly people, by going in for wine,
Sadly deceive themselves.
For now I know the Way of Tea is real. ~ Chio Jen, Tang Dynasty (4)
The Tea Party
I had a little tea party,
This afternoon at three.
Twas very small,
Three guests in all,
Just I, myself and me.
Myself ate all the sandwiches,
While I drank up the tea.
Twas also I,
Who ate the pie,
And passed the cake to me. ~ Jessica Nelson North
Fairies Tea
Up in a tree, Fairies sit to have their tea.
With china cups and china plates, they eat their dainty fairy cakes.
The tablecloth is cobweb lace. A name card sits at every place.
A warm moss upon the floor. Just inside the small oak door.
Wouldn’t you just love to be, Invited to a fairy’s tea. ~ Author Unknown
Tea Poems invite you to immerse yourself in your tea and drift with the clouds. Drift slowly, enjoy, and leave some cake out for the faeries… Wishing you many Blessings in your day. ~ GreenWitch Tea
(1) Tea Poems Part One (2) Lu Yu, the Sage of Tea
(3) Song Dynasty (4) Tang Dynasty
4 Comments. Leave new
I loved it all, every single evocative word and imagery! God bless you and thank you for this wonderful blog!
Thank you Reina for your lovely words… I am happy you liked it… Many blessings to you :-))
Thank you green witch I have just been to my mother’s which I do most days and get my useall mug of tea,as I am a great lover of tea and of many flavous,and I love nothink more than trying new blends of tea which there are many out there,and that’s including herbal teas,so was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon this site,I just loved the poems and the information,so thank you and God bless you keep up the good work,
Thanks Paula, I love meeting new tea buddies, I too am glad you found my site :-)) Many blessings to you …