Tea Blog

By A.C. Cargill

Here’s a way to enhance your enjoyment of tea: write a poem or two about it.

Exploring the online world of tea lovers has been a real eye-opener. Not only are there many enthusiasts, but quite a few express their love through poetry.

I’m one of them—though I admit my style is a bit old-fashioned. My poems rhyme…and they actually make sense.

A Short Sample

“Brew” – “steep” – “infuse”
Terms that confuse
What each does mean
Is yet to be seen

Okay, not exactly

Shakespeare
. How about this one:

Darjeeling

Is so darling
And called “

champagne of teas
”
With taste so fine
’Tis truly divine
And tastebuds sure to please

Alright, alright—I’ll stop now. Promise!

How It Started

My poetry writing began in grade school. I even had a poem published in a national anthology back then (sadly, I lost my copy years ago).

Through high school and college, I explored different styles before eventually focusing on other creative pursuits.

Recently, though, I’ve found my way back to writing

poetry
,
with a little encouragement from hubby—especially to combine it with my growing love of tea.

The result? Around 150 tea-themed poems so far.

Ideas for Your Own Tea Poetry

Want to give it a try? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Tea gardens and rows of Camellia sinensis stretching across hillsides
• The process of turning fresh leaves into finished teas
• Tea sellers, blenders, and the people who enjoy their creations
• The tea experience—tea parties, preparation, and the
  
  traditional tea foods
  
  that accompany it

You can also experiment with different poetic forms such as

haiku

or

sonnets
.

Sometimes having structure makes writing even easier—and having tea as your theme keeps the ideas flowing.

Final Thoughts

Writing tea poetry has been incredibly satisfying for me, and I hope it inspires you to explore your own creative outlet.

Give it a try—you may be surprised by what you come up with.

Writing tea poetry is just another part of living the “tea life.”

Check out A.C.’s blog,

Tea Time with A.C. Cargill
,
for more!