Crack
Her
moment’s hesitation is palpable
A
mid-air suspension
Of
the lifting action
Towards
the waiting lips
To
allow for careful observation
And
eye-screwed scrutiny
Of
the faintest, finest mark
Detected
upon the rim
The
perimeter of porcelain
At
Darjeeling’s very edge
The
thinnest line of grey
That
may portend a careless hair
Or
a deeper hairline crack
Starting
from the cup’s lip
Almost
hidden on the inside
Descending
deep into the liquid
A
delicate indicator
Of
dirt, or perhaps disease
Harbouring
germs beneath
Upon
or within the glaze
Of
the whitened surface
An
earlier accident
Or
someone’s carelessness
Cannot
be determined
But
is now the cause
Of
her faint distaste
And
this holding moment
That
prevents the slightest sip
And
sees the china cup
Quietly
returned to its saucer
The
tea left un-drunk
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