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Ruby Lord
Ruby Lord
Jan 07, 2025 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

Drinking Tea With my Mother

When I was alone with my mother,
we drank tea.
Her eyes were glass.
At the bottom of her cup, leaves swirled in dark liquid.
She tipped the vessel empty leaving clumps clinging to the side.

I see a funeral, she said.
Her eyes shone, green ponds in gloom.
She raised her head to mine.
My eyes brimmed. I couldn’t hold the flood.
It burst onto my face,
dripped on my blouse,
tears,
each one a burning tragedy.

I crumbled beneath her courage.
I was lost in the rivers of her strength.

About This Poem

Style/Type: Free verse

Review Request Intensity: Please use care (this is a sensitive subject for me, do not critique harshly)

Editing Stage: Editing - rough draft

About the Author

Country/Region: United Kingdom

Favorite Poets: Margaret Atwood is one of my favourite writers. Carol Ann Duffy, Philip Larkin, Ted Hughes, Wendy Cope and more.

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Comments

Rula

Rula

6 months 2 weeks ago

Dear Ruby

This almost brought tears into my eyes. A very heartfelt write.It floods with mother's prophecy, bravery and love.
It gently touched my heart
The last couplet speaks volumes to me, and I thought it deserves a more intriguing title. Maybe something like
"A funeral in the cup of Tea"?
Just me :)
Thank you for sharing.

Geezer

Geezer

6 months 2 weeks ago

How about...

Prophecy Tea for a title?

Your description...
of you and your mother drinking tea, brought memories of drinking tea with my mother to mind. She read the tea leaves too! Sometimes, the neighbors would come over and there was a little tea party in the late morning.

Your lines: "I crumbled beneath her courage
I was lost in the floods of her strength."

brought back those days with clarity.
. Thank you for sharing. ~ Geez.
.

R

Ray Miller

6 months 1 week ago

Drinking Tea With my Mother

Good poem. My first thought was that "I see a funeral" was just a bit too stark and maybe something more allusive was required. But then perhaps the explicitness is indicative of mother's courage. Anyway, as I say, good poem. You might avoid the repetition of flood.

Lavender

Lavender

6 months 1 week ago

Drinking Tea With My Mother

Oh, Ruby,
You've captured this precious moment so wonderfully. Many of us have been blessed with similar moments. I know I have, and your poem brought them back. Love the title. It lets the reader experience the entire poem as one would a painting.
Thank you,
Lx

Ruby Lord

Ruby Lord

6 months 1 week ago

Thanks Lavender, this one

Thanks Lavender, this one still makes me cry, and I can't let my sister read it because she will get upset too.
Ruby xxx :)