Ritual for the Ordinary

Water from my kitchen faucet,
heated in a kettle bought online,
poured over loose leaves,
brings the scent to my nose—

there is no aesthetic
that can make this moment

more sacred than my stillness,
my attention,
my emotion,
and my will,
already do.

One of my favorite tea mugs with a portion of my my currently reading pile.

Liner Notes for this Groove: This poem was created for the Friday Writings prompt at Poets and Storytellers United.
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25 comments:

  1. Rosemary Nissen-WadeJune 2, 2022 at 8:16 PM

    It sounds wonderful, this ritual, and I can well imagine both the sacredness and pleasure you feel. Your words make me wish that I didn't so dislike the taste of tea!

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    1. RommyJune 3, 2022 at 5:46 PM

      I shall drink extra tea so you don't have too!

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  2. RajaniJune 3, 2022 at 12:05 AM

    I need my cup of tea first thing in the morning too, but brewed and with milk and sugar! "more sacred than my stillness" is a fabulous thought... and is true about that half-dark time early morning with the birds chirping and the air still cool... sacred is about right!

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    1. RommyJune 3, 2022 at 6:25 PM

      I adore that half dark time too and watching the sun creep up as I'm partway through my brew.

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  3. AnonymousJune 3, 2022 at 2:12 AM

    I wish that I could smell tea, I wish that I could smell anything, I lost it to COVID (Mrs. Jim gets tired smelling under my arms to see whether or not I have put underarm deodorant on any given morning that I care) and haven't gotten it back yet. I can sort of taste chocolate and one other food.
    That's a nice routine, I do, and wrote about it, do that with coffee every morning. And make the pot ready every night before I go to bed.
    I enjoyed putting my morning routine here, it is rather long. A poem though so number of words didn't bother me. A prose poem. Sort of.
    "Prose poems" are sort of like the "Critical Race Theory," no two persons can define it the same way, if they even try. But just using that phrase and calling it bad has won and lost elections here in Texas. I do believe that White Supremists have invented it but have started the saying that should go along, the theory is bad. Schools should not teach it. Of course they never used that word while teaching of the situations and treatments of the various races here in the U.S. My opinion.
    ..
    Jim,
    http://jimmiehov6.blogspot.com/2022/06/routine-writing-mine-for-friday-writings.html
    ..

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    1. RommyJune 3, 2022 at 6:29 PM

      I am so sorry about your sense of smell. I hope you get it back soon. Covid just doesn't play fair, does it? Though as you alluded to, neither do white supremacists.

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  4. Debra She Who SeeksJune 3, 2022 at 5:12 AM

    A profound observation!

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  5. colleenJune 3, 2022 at 9:05 AM

    I feel the same about tea. I think about the word online and how non-traditional that is to tea drinking and how words can pass out of time.

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    1. RommyJune 3, 2022 at 6:32 PM

      I thought long and hard about using the word "online" and decided I wanted it in their because it is so mundane and in many ways so opposite to what some would call spiritual that it underlines the idea that perfectly ordinary things and times can have a sacredness to them.

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  6. HelenJune 3, 2022 at 10:52 AM

    Rommy, this is gorgeous and gentle and everything I needed to read this morning in Bend Oregon.

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  7. Magaly GuerreroJune 3, 2022 at 6:36 PM

    The peacefulness and delight of the tone is delicious. It describes exactly how I feel about coffee. It's the reason why I like to brew my coffee on the stove, to stir (smell it), what it pour, and take that glorious first sip.

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    1. RommyJune 4, 2022 at 9:52 AM

      Everyone ought to have one small thing in their life that feels that way IMHO.

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  8. Su-sieee! MacJune 4, 2022 at 1:46 PM

    Reading about your peaceful ritual is calming.

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  9. Khaya RonkainenJune 5, 2022 at 11:16 AM

    What a beautiful and meditative ritual! As a tea lover, I breathe in the calmness pouring from your poem. Thank you. Now, I shall go brew myself a pot of tea. :)

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    1. RommyJune 5, 2022 at 4:55 PM

      Always happy to share the peace with another tea person!

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  10. rallentandaJune 6, 2022 at 4:14 AM

    There is something very civilised about starting the day with tea....I am a tea snob...Twinings English Breakfast tea ...it must be for me !

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    1. RommyJune 7, 2022 at 1:19 PM

      When I was in Disneyworld last, I picked up a couple of boxes of specialty tea in their Twining's store at Epcot. One was a rose black blend and the other was the Golden Tipped English Breakfast. Apparently you can only get them there, but I will be sure to stock up if I ever go back.

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  11. purplepeninportland.comJune 8, 2022 at 7:42 PM

    Sounds like a lovely start to a morning.

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  12. Laura MorriganJune 8, 2022 at 9:41 PM

    LOVE THIS!

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  13. ✿July 1, 2022 at 1:24 PM

    Beautiful

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