Ruby Robinson
Tea
Somehow you led me home and told me again
of the emperor Shennong’s cup of warm spring water
under a tree of falling leaves. The way some leaves
fell in, browning the water. In Namche Bazaar
we held a bowl in both hands and curled the yak
butter fat and condensed milk about our tongues
as the oily smoke curled about the blackened kettle,
hanging battered, spout like a duck’s beak,
above the fire. Today, in our kitchen, a person
pours and speaks, instead of you, of flavanoides,
amino acids, vitamins, polysaccharides, three minute
brewing time, a clean spoon, a hot cup.
At base camp, bed tea was brought to the tent
at sunrise. You were laughing as you recalled
symptoms of dehydration: headache, dry mouth,
dizziness on standing. Lack of tears when crying.
Page(s) 23
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