Time gets away

Time gets away

From you,

Catch it

If you can.

I made a cup of tea

For my daughter

When she dropped in

The other day.

She is good like that

More than I deserve

I don’t drink tea

Kora did.

For me

It tastes of austerity

Chicory coffee

Horlicks

Before bedtime

Bovril at half-time

Industrialised poverty

Music while you work

Black and white TV

With a test card

Workers playtime

With the Joe Loss

Orchestra

My daughter

Dunked the tea bag,

No special Japanese

Tea ceremony

In my house,

Although I have respect

For those who do.

She lifted the bag

And without thinking

Ten years gone

And

Without ceremony

Or any special training

I dumped a used tea bag

Into a ramekin.

Sometimes

Time feels

Like no time

At all.