Of Tea and Roses

Two Writing Teacher's Slice of Life Challenge is winding down...we're almost through March!
And Poetry Jam has a prompt to write a poem with a coffee or tea theme.  I wrote a slice poem to coffee yesterday.  Today is it tea's turn!  Lots of bits of memories of my life are contained in this poem, some of which just started to make sense as I was writing it.  I was amazed at the connectedness and came to some realizations about myself as I wrote.  That felt good.

My Red Rose Tea figures - my grandmother had quite a few

Of Tea and Roses - Red and Yellow

I remember my mother saying
   I should not wear yellow
      it would not look good
         on me.

Nannie possessed
   glorious tea cups;
      after dinner they would
         hold Red Rose Tea
I chose from all her elegant cups
   and matching saucers
      the one to hold my tea;
Always my pick -
   her black teacup
      yellow roses inside
         gold trimmed
            with a matching saucer
               to hold your spoon
               and a sugar cookie.

When she died,
   I asked for her black teacup
      so I would remember
I knew I would be miserable
   if ever that precious cup broke;
      I forgave myself
         when it did

I still savor my memories
   of having tea with
      with milk
         and sugar
in her black teacup
      yellow roses inside
         gold trimmed
            with a matching saucer
               to hold your spoon
               and a sugar cookie.     
I think it’s actually
   prettier now.

Perhaps this teacup is why
   yellow roses are my favorite
      a single yellow rose was my wedding bouquet
         my babies were born on yellow rose linens
Perhaps it is why
   my new house will be yellow

I remember what my mother said
   I still do not wear yellow
      but it looks good
         on roses.

©Donna JT Smith, 2015