Today I wrote a poem in response to quadrille challenge #72 on the Poets’ Pub at dVerse. I wrote the poem while having a cup of green tea, despite the words of the poem. Given the fact that I am baking stuffed potatoes in the other room, it is surprising that they didn’t make their way into the quadrille.
The challenge is to write a forty four word poem. I based my poem on a 44 letter poem I wrote based on the unitoum form, although it is not officially a unitoum as it is only three stanzas long. As a result, the related quadrille is not a proper pantoum, but does have the neat feature of having the letters in the last word adding up to 44 letters in a 44 word poem. I like the symmetry of that construction. In honesty, I personally enjoy the 44 letter poem more than I like the resulting quadrille.
Steep and Steep
Black leaves steep.
Pour out Your
Pot of fragrant tea.
Fill your mug now.
As you sip your
Tea think about life.
Go slowly now.
Ponder things and drink
Think about your life
While there is
Still time to drink
And switch life up.
Bonus: Quadraginta Quatuor
Steep
Your
Tea
Now
Your
Life
Now
Drink
Life
Is
Drink
Up
Distracted Pastor Ramblings 
It’s fun to play with words. I feel you having fun with the words.
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It was a lot of fun! Yours was very nice, but now I feel like I should go refill the bird feeder. Quite moving!
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Thank you, Robert. I try to put kitchen scraps out for the critters as well, like apple peels, vegetable peels, etc., I put some green beans that had gained a bit of mold in the bin in the fridge but were still perfectly edible for a possum or other critter. I’m glad you connected with the poem — now go refill the bird feeder! 😉
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Ah, always good to contemplate and how better than over tea
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Indeed! I have several friends who believe the best remedy for the soul is a thermos of tea and a hike through the woods. I’m not much of a hiker, but I always join them for the tea and conversation when I get the chance.
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Nice quadrille. I am ignoring the extra poem as I am only interested in the required 44 words here. It is always nice to sit and think and steep over tea.
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Thank you. Your quadrille reminded me of a canoe trip in Northern Ontario as a youth. I could almost hear the loons calling in the distance. Very nice.
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Oh gosh! ❤️ I love how beautifully you incorporate the given word into your poem and the idea of contemplating life while ‘black leaves steep,’ and we drink 🙂 I also adore the bonus poem! ❤️
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Quite enjoyable… soothing. Next time, the potatoes, Pastor! 🙂
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I’ll try! Your quadrille was quite interesting as well. I enjoyed the turn from the heights to being down low with the steeplebushes. I enjoyed that turn of perspective/experience.
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i like the go slow and think as we sip – a mellow quadrille – perfect
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Thank you! I really like yours as well. The imagery of descending into the cafe connected with tumbling into a tea cup was lovely.
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thank you so much! we all could do with a little fairy tale now and again – this place was special -even adults got caught up in the wonder.
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I enjoyed both of your offerings today.
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I like the thinking and drinking of that tea.
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Oh, I like what you did there!
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There is something about drinking tea that says “relax”. I am very grateful for those moments, so I appreciate the message in your quadrille. The bonus poem was interesting as it showed the evolution of your quadrille.
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Mind runs along with tea! Nice take on the prompt!
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Thank you!
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Tea is a wonderful way to relax… but steep it just right before it gets better.
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Yes it is. I learned to truly love tea on a trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Their tea had a depth American coffee couldn’t touch, so I tend to brew my tea longer than most of my friends.
Still, brewing tea is a good simile for contemplation. I was once told to never forget to watch my feet while tending my mind. Good advice in my experience.
Thanks for commenting!
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ah….reflective thoughts over a cup of hot aromatic tea…..perfect for letting the mind wander.
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Thank you!
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What a wonderful cup of tea, and contemplation Robert, thank you!
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Thank you very much
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I liked the repetitive form of life time drink think anchoring each stanza together, as if each sip and aroma cyclically reinforces a mantra… to think. Sifting through the quadrille trail belatedly, but this was a nice little tea ceremony on it. 🍵
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Thank you!
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