Just that thing

Issue #72 of your inbox poetry magazine

Tea can be
just that one element
that creates just the right atmosphere
for your private reading
oasis.

Tea. A drink steeped in history. A calming drink, too. One that goes very well with reading poetry. Since not that many years, January has become for many people Dry January. A refuge of consuming alcoholic beverages, especially after the final days of the previous years, which are ritually drowned in wines and spirits in many Western cultures. I’m not playing the Dry January game myself. Just like I’m not a fan of Movember and Nanowrimo. For me, change comes most sustainably when I just do it whenever I’m ready. Writing more, eating less meat, using the bicycle and stairs more often. Giving up on smoking. No dedicated month or new year’s resolution has helped me with this.

But for other people, it works perfectly. And that’s good. Change can be hard enough, so one should embrace all the support one can get. This poem is a bit about that. Supporting us in making changes. Or creating an environment in which we can build new and more healthy habits. Together.

Last year, I’ve started drinking tea more often. It’s better for me than the sugary drinks I like just a little bit too much. And with some very nice tea sellers not far away, such as Dammann Frères and the Palais des Thés (the tea pictured above is their Paris for him blend), there is a whole world of aromas and flavours to discover. The poem is a little bit about that, too.

So, what new habits are you building this year?

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Something to listen to

We have started a new month, so there’s a new playlist, too. This time an eclectic mix to boost your energy and get your heart pumping. Pump up the volume and dance to these tunes:

The new month is not the only thing new this new year. I’ve got something else for you. Probably, you have already seen the message I sent on Wednesday about the new podcast. Here is the trailer for the second season of #trpplffct | your poetry podcast.

Because I can, I’ve named this second season part 2 and all the episodes are chapters. Each chapter is named after the poet that features in it. This naming convention is heavily inspired by one of my favourite podcast series, Heavyweight. It’s a podcast filled with human stories and I love it. Here’s just one episode, but I highly recommend all the others. It isn’t poetry, but it is very human.

And finally, because you are getting used to it, today’s poem in audio format:

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Poetry elsewhere

This poem is really out there. The stars are great company on road trips, or for your dreams. Like in this poem by Cozett Dunn: Solar Calligrapher.

Journeys of life are not always about going from one place to another, but can also be about learning to live with who you are. This poem has a lot of that, and I love it: Bird’s Eye View on Love by Suzanne Kiera Anthony.

This one I found on Instagram. A frozen rose, a good theme for the winter, even if the title is [frozen rose (spring) (2/2)]. And a lovely poem.