Stage Directions For An Unwritten Play Poem by Leslie Philibert

An old man in a kitchen prepares tea.
Carefully lighting a gas stove with matches
he boils water in a heavy enamel kettle.
With hands hidden in wool gloves he pours
water into a large brown teapot.

After warming the pot he puts four
teaspoons full of black tea into the pot.
He then adds the rest of the water and waits
for the tea to brew. Adding milk, he pours
the tea into a cracked beaker with
a picture of the Queen.

From the main road in front of his house
comes the noise of traffic.