Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SMALL AND EARLY, by TUDOR JENKS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SMALL AND EARLY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: When dorothy and I took tea, we sat upon the floor
Last Line: And I went to a real tea, and dorothy to bed.
Subject(s): Children; Childhood


WHEN Dorothy and I took tea, we sat upon the
floor;
No matter how much tea I drank, she always gave
me more;
Our table was the scarlet box in which her tea-set
came;
Our guests, an armless one-eyed doll, a wooden
horse gone lame.
She poured out nothing, very fast, -- the tea-pot
tipped on high, --
And in the bowl found sugar lumps unseen by my
dull eye.
She added rich (pretended) cream -- it seemed a
wilful waste,
For though she overflowed the cup, it did not
change the taste .
She asked, "Take milk?" or "Sugar?" and
though I answered, "No,"
She put them in, and told me that I "must take it
so!"
She'd say "Another cup, Papa?" and I, "No,
thank you, Ma'am,"
But then I had to take it -- her courtesy was sham.
Still, being neither green, nor black, nor English-
breakfast tea,
It did not give her guests the "nerves" -- what-
ever those may be.
Though often I upset my cup she only minded
when
I would mistake the empty cups for those she'd
filled again.
She tasted my cup gingerly, for fear I'd burn my
tongue;
Indeed, she really hurt my pride -- she made me
feel so young.
I must have drunk some twoscore cups, and Dorothy sixteen,
Allowing only needful time to pour them in between.
We stirred with massive pewter spoons, and
sipped in courtly ease,
With all the ceremony of the stately Japanese.
At length she put the cups away. "Good-night,
Papa," she said;
And I went to a real tea, and Dorothy to bed.




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