The Teetotaler

In Ordinary Cups The blades of winter grind into the ice like blood on a bitten lip two lovers spin and twirl The days pass from teacup to teacup in the peaceful silence of a solitary nest. From gentle easy sunrise through sheer white to the subtle fall of accordion night. The echoes of childish laughter tremble across the cracked surface of plaster walls. Random squeaks in oaken floors return the footfall of father, coming and going. Long lost cat's paw prints impress carpet dragons from Shanghai with ghostly ease, and every loved and loving one returns in peace, to rest beneath the tapping fingertips upon a porcelain cup of tea from China. 11/9/10 Re-formed for Roy the Verse BELOW The Teetotaler The blades of winter grind into the ice, flirting with the rosy cheek of puppy love, snow-crusted mittens cling, like chapped skin on bitten lips; scarfs twirl; they spin. As steam rises from the cup, reminisce, the first kiss, across swamp-grass hummocks, rotten ice, lace tripping with the rosy cheek of puppy love; snow crusted mittens cling. Black hair, fair skin, Irish-eyed, he cajoles a grin. In the steam, not the leaves, she remembers him across swamp-grass hummocks, rotten ice, lace tripping; they spin. Assam seeps in porcelain, another cup she pours. In an empty nest the cup clinks saucer, in the steam, not the leaves, she remembers him. From sunrise through fall of white, she sees the mist falling accordion-like into chinks of memory. She pours. In an empty nest, the cup clinks saucer. The recollections of youthful laughter cut, tremble, across the cracked surfaces of her mind's walls falling accordion-like into chinks of memory. Random squeaks in the oaken floors recall returns, these images mist swirl from the tea-of family, across the cracked surfaces of her mind's walls. A long lost cat walks shrouded through silent the scene in peace, they rest beneath her tapping fingertips these images mist-swirl from the tea-of family, Every loved and loving one returns mist-born within a porcelain cup of tea from China; in peace, they rest beneath her tapping fingertips. 3/21/15