– Mug at a coffee shop

Oxidize my lips for your finest green
tea or use acid in my stomach
to boil and steep. Grind my fingers
down with mortar and pestle or dub
me chamei to keep things interesting.

Dad told me all teas come from
the same leaf which reminded
me of Randy from Cox Elementary.
Every Wednesday brought torturous
wet willies while Friday’s delegation

was meant for teasing. Why are you
so Randy? Did it create a cancer
blaster? Cardiovascular disaster?
Onsite inflammation from
photosynthetic toxic hazards? Now

you leave me in shade for increasing
chlorophyll production. Pluck my stems
to create health benefits in tannins.
But if you keep heat on too long, phenols
make me bitter, your favorite flavor.