Dedicated to all tea lovers out there, here is a poem for our special day, which, unfortunately, has not yet made it onto the registry of holidays. The poem is based on “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” written by Clement Clarke Moore (1779 – 1863) in 1822. Enjoy!
Twas the Night Before Tea-mas
Twas the night before Tea-mas and me and my spouse
Had set down our teacups to check through the house.
The doors and the windows were bolted with care
To make sure no burglars could enter in there.
We then faced the moment a tea lover dreads —
To wash up the teawares and head to our beds.
We stored all the teas in their tins with a ‘snap!”
And rinsed out the tea leaves from teapot — kerplap!
The teacups and plates and the big serving platter
To dishwasher went, with great care not to shatter.
Then, up to the bedroom we flew like a flash,
Got changed to our PJs and drew down the sash.
We snuggled all warm and were soon dreaming so
Of tea time we’d recently had down below,
When, sounds from the kitchen came through very clear
And tickled the innermost parts of my ear.
“Arise, hubby dear. I just heard something click,
We need to go downstairs and check it out quick!”
So silently downstairs we both swiftly came
And caught all our teawares in some kind of game.
“I bet you this pu-erh, so quick to be fixin’.
I’m holding two pairs. What have you there, vixen?”
Those wonderful teas we’d just stored away all
Are stakes in tea poker. The teacup said, “Call!”
Then, Little Yellow Teapot said, “I’ll pass that by.”
He folded his hand and tooted a tea sigh.
“Li’l Teapot!” I said, “disappointed in you!
You know this is not what a teapot should do.
“You steep up my tea and then act so aloof
But really we find you and friends raise the roof
When hubby and I are not somewhere around,
And now this dark secret your humans have found.”
The teapot replied, “Well, I don’t give a hoot
If you humans know. This game makes me say ‘Toot!’
I’ll still steep your tea with my usual knack
To keep you both happy — now go hit the sack!”
Abashed, we both shrugged and left a bit wary
But knew that the teapot would lie to us nary.
Our sleep was quite peaceful with dreams of that show,
The teawares all playing their cards and a-glow.
We know happy teapots steep our teas up best,
So no worries there for the morning, just rest.
On Tea-mas we rose and rushed down to the sight
Of teapot on table with tea steeped just right!
A lesson to humans: keep teapots so happy
Then, you’ll have great tea taste and feel oh so snappy.
Happy Tea-mas to all as you sip fresh tea bright.
Have a scone with that tea for a treat that’s just right!
Make sure to stop by A.C.’s blog, Tea Time with A.C. Cargill!