The Tea-Bag

[Stephen Whiteside]

The Tea-Bag

Do you pour water over the tea-bag?
Or dip the bag in when the cup
Is already full of hot water?
Do you jiggle up-down, or down-up?

Do you just get one cup from each tea-bag,
Or ration them, making them last?
Do you save them for use a week later?
Do colleagues survey you, aghast?

Do you flick them up onto the ceiling,
In hope that the odd one will hold?
Do you dream of a nuclear tea-bag,
As part of Man's future, so bold?

A tea-bag that soars to the heavens,
That finds its way out past the stars,
To settle the thirst of the settlers
Squatting in camps upon Mars?

If a tea-bag should drift into orbit
Between Earth and Mars, round the sun,
And press against other such tea-bags,
Could a planet of tea be begun?

And if there are space monsters out there,
Who threaten our future on Earth,
Could they somehow make use of our tea-bags?
Could peace talks be thus given birth?

Say, what do they put in these tea-bags?
My mind's in a dizzying spin.
They sure give you value for money.
I won't chuck this one in the bin.

It's destined to be a great heir-loom,
Passed down from parent to child,
And infants will hark to the story
Of how it made great grandpa wild.

I'm going to buy a whole packet!
These bags are the answer! I'm free!
Goodbye to the job and the mortgage!
I'm floating! I'm flying! Yippee!

Stephen Whiteside 12.09.2015

[Catherine Lee]

Ha! Wish I could be this imaginative at times Stephen - a very enjoyable read! Love the image of a teabag soaring towards the heavens to quench the thirst of settlers on Mars!

[Stephen Whiteside]

Thank you, Catherine.

[Shelley Hansen]

I just love this, Stephen! Has the ring of Spike Milligan about it

Making a cuppa will never be the same again!! (I must admit I've never done the ceiling flick - probably because I'd be the one who'd have to clean it off later!!)

[Maureen K Clifford]

I want to know what the hell is in your teabags?

[Stephen Whiteside]

Thanks, Shelley.

That's what I want to know, too, Maureen!

[Cropduster]

Hmmmm...could be something a little stronger than tea.

I still remember Nanna making tea the traditional way, with one spoon of tea leaves for each person, and one for the pot.

Great read, Stephen. I loved the line 'Could a planet of tea be begun?' - reminded me of BB guns

[Heather]

Funny how these poems and discussions bring back memories of things we've stored somewhere in the back of our brains. I also remember my Nana (Victorian spelling ) making a pot of tea with one spoon for each and one for the pot. Not many people even own a tea pot any more (I bet Neville does though). Those were the days before tea bags.

Speaking of tea, I'm out of milk and need to shoot down to the shops to get some so I can have my much needed cup of coffee.

Heather

[Shelley Hansen]

Heather, I'm about to place myself firmly in the Age of Antiquity by saying that we make at least one pot of tea every day. Our in-between cuppas may be from teabags, but our breakfast tradition is firm and unbreakable!

Likewise, when visitors pop in, both the tea and/or coffee pots assume a starring role!

Actually it is my husband who does the honours - he has it down to a very fine art and makes a jolly good pot of tea!! It is a routine that carries on even when we travel by caravan. It tastes even better then!!

Cheers, Shelley

[Neville Briggs]

Of course I own a tea pot, Heather, and a coffee bean grinder.

Sorry Stephen, tea bags ( and instant coffee ) don't excite me.