Writer
The scent of crushed cardamoms and saffron
rises from a simmering pot of chai,
drifting through the house
from the kitchen,
up the stairs,
into the room where I still sleep.
I breathe deeply,
the khushboo of elaichi tea
a sharp cool green
opened by heat
sweetening the air,
A smile inside my dreams.
This is how the day begins
with the feeling of home,
somewhere in Spain.
As crazy as it may sound,
An old maid passed the streets,
At three in the morning,
Carrying a flask of tea,
& hot golden samosas,
For the tired, lonely, and invisible souls.
Day 28 Inktober : Crispy
In the rains or when the weather is cold nothing is as comforting as a plate of hot crispy samosas with a cup of tea to warm the bones.
Day 10 Inktober : Pick
This has been kind of a dream job, wearing a basket over the head, picking those tender and fresh tea leaves and plucking them traditionally by hand. I know it’s not easy at all, but I would love to visit a tea estate in India someday.
You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.
– C.S. Lewis
Amen to that!
Some days, the passion to create is so strong,
That everything around seems like a flash of inspiration.
From the morning cup of tea,
Sunshine on the feet,
Crumpled sheets,
A smiling person on the streets,
An empty blank sheet.
Oh how lovely it is,
To come across a quaint country cottage,
That serves breakfast and tea.
A white arched picket fence at the entrance,
Decorated with pink cherry blossoms.
I walk across the green lawn
and enter a warm 1980s cottage.
The fireplace hearth in the kitchen
Warms the wooden interiors.
Baskets are filled with breads,
Glass jars full of jam,
A steaming kettle brews tea,
Pots and pans hang on hooks,
I settle down to read a book.
Why isn’t anybody around,
I say, “Hello?” and wait for a sound.
A little girl runs across the room
With flour on her messy French braid ponytail,
Followed by an old maid,
Who stops midway noticing my presence.
“How may I help you, today?”
I smile and say, “This is such a beautiful place!”
I get a curt nod and she says,
“We are closed for the day”.
I never had the courage to visit again,
I sometimes pass by the quaint country cottage,
and admire it from far away.
Day 26 Inktober – Hide
Cozy up under warm sheets with a hot cup of tea and lose yourself in a favourite book of choice.
Always love hiding behind books.
It can get pretty scary up there. But finding a cozy cabin house after a treacherous journey on the edge of a mountain cliff will feel like being reborn.
To make it a heavenly experience, drink tea by the window and enjoy the view.
You ask, what is so magical about a tea room?
Like a secret passage,
You need to bend a little to enter this small and warmly lit room.
You will be welcomed with a soft and busy murmur.
Sometimes, a whiff of floral aromas of jasmine and dried flowers,
Will pleasantly surprise and enrapture the senses.
The other times, sweet fragrances of herbs, spices, and earl grey,
Will mildly linger in the air.
Now and then, the sound of pouring liquid,
The crackling of wood in fire,
Will gently calm and get you settled in.
On the table beside,
A gentle clank of a kettle lid.
Sugar cubes plop – one, two – into the tea.
Teaspoons clink against the sides of the tea cup.
On the other side,
The soft slurps of satisfied lips,
As they relish the delicious flavors of their favorite tea.
The simplicity, the calming ambience, the relaxing sounds,
The warmth and the pleasing sensations,
Are some of the things,
That make the tea room so magical for me.
PS: Try it in the comfort of your room and make it magical with a cup of tea!
Nuraine Sadaf 