So amongst the many poems we had to read this week my strategy in finding a poem was simple. Find a poem that is direct yet indirect in making each subject spoken for distinctive in its own way. . . after reading through the poems, I stopped when I came across Fady Joudah's "Additional Notes on Tea" from Inclined. I did some background research on Joudah and found out that not only is Joudah a poet, but a DOCTOR and translator as well. He was born in Austin, Texas in a Palestinian refugee camp and has a thing for writing poems about tea. In this particular poem I find it interesting that he uses the history of tea as a key distinction across cultures. The unique differences and significance that tea has to a culture is something I have never looked at before. Joudah points out these distinctions and brings it to your front door with great big smile ;-)

In Cairo a boy's balcony higher than a man's deathbed.
The boy is sipping tea.
The view is angular like a fracture.

........

Family men on the street run up the stairs and drink raven tea

.......

On the operating table in Solwezi a doctor watches a woman die.
Tea while the anesthetic wears off,
While the blade is waiting, tea.

Joudah tells a story that takes you around the world using tea as your compass. I find it quite interesting that a doctor will drink tea as the anesthetic wears off, and also while waiting for a blade. I perceive this action as tea being a filter for something, or an emotion we choose not to show. Joudah goes on in including the Boston Tea Party and his preference of tea. I also research that Black tea in particular can lower risk of stroke. Now with Joudah being a doctor I'm pretty sure that may be a reason that might be his favorite. lol. This poem is informational and thought provoking yet light-hearted and free spirited. My favorite line is in the last stanza

Tea, like history, is a non sequitur

At first I had no idea what sequitur meant, but after I looked it up this line made perfect sense. Sequiter means a logical consequence, and history is just the opposite, or is it? I believe at times it makes sense of what is going on negatively in this world because of what we as human beings have put out. Though how can account for what has happened and still not have a logical conclusion for it? NON SEQUITUR......yea this poem is dope.

-Dorothy