When you’re away 
I drink naked tea: 
no cloudy milk, 
no sweet

sugar. 
I use your cup, 
place my lips 
just so 
on the edge 
where I imagine 
your mouth tasted 
hot, smooth darjeeling 
or gunpowder green. 
I rest my tongue 
on the cool glass, 
inhale steam like comfort.

It tastes awful.

I don’t know 
how you drink tea 
like this: 
no honey, 
no cream, 
just hot liquid 
fresh from the leaf 
like a bitter treasure, 
but it’s all I have 
with you gone.

 ~ Christine Klocek-Lim
13 January 2002

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