once I watched a tea ceremony
the careful arrangements
the long-handled cup
the glazed porcelain
and bright cloth
and I think about my own ritual
every morning
the stagger from my bedroom
the scrubbing of the pour over
still dirty from yesterday’s coffee
with the old sponge by the sink
that I should just throw away
the wait for the water to boil
as I rub at my eyes and swear
and the moment I add the cream
and walk the too-full cup of coffee
back to my desk and almost never
spill on the carpet
is this not deserving
of some reverence
too
***
James Lindley is a human person writing things on the internet. You can see his work on Twitter at DuendeonFuego (@DuendeenF).