tea

One day when walking down the street, I walked into a dhaba,
And there I met the strangest being: a living, breathing Baba!
“Come, sit,” he said, “or stand, or sprawl. It doesn’t really matter.”
And thus I came to know that he was madder than the Hatter.

“Let’s talk!” he said, and so we plunged. My goodness, could he babble!
“Let’s play!” he said, and so we plunged into a game of scrabble.
“Let’s walk!” he said, and so we plunged into a trek so long,
That when he said, “Let’s think!” I said, “Let’s not! Let’s sing a song!”

“Fine!” he said, “The diatonic scale is where we’ll go.
Perfect fifths and minor sixths allegro con brio!”
“Slow down! Slow down!” I yelped in pain. “You’re going rather fast!”
“Then hurry up, catch up with me! I’m having such a blast!”

“See what happens when you don’t do your Hall and Knight each day?
If you don’t learn the basics pat, you’ll never learn to play!”
“Let’s dance,” (I did not want to sing.) “Then listen to the beat!
Rra-pum pa-pum o-lo la-dum! Now stomp it with your feet!”

He made me stomp my feet so hard, I thought that I would die.
He yanked me up and pulled my ear and said, “Look at the sky!
See how blue and vast it is! How full of wondrous knowledge!
And you want to die! For shame! O fie! How will you go to college?

“You sit on your ass and spout your gas. My friend, that’s not enough!
So now I’m going to fill your head with truly serious stuff!
See that cauldron? Double double, toil and trouble! See?”
“Yes, but...“ but he cut me short: “Shup up and drink your tea!

“Tea is what will fill your lungs with cold crisp mountain air!
Tea will cleanse your soul and put that shine back in your hair!
Tea will get you off your ass and give you legs to walk!
Tea will teach you brand new words and teach you how to talk!

“Tea is what will give you brains so you may start to think!
Tea is what will make you light so you may never sink!
Tea is what will teach you how to integrate a function!
Tea is what will fill your being with flash and dash and gumption!”

So here I am, a brand new man, reborn, transformed by tea.
When I meet my friends each day, my friends keep asking me,
“What is the secret? Tell us quick!” But I just laugh, “Ha ha,
There is no spell, no chant, no trick. Now...would you like some cha?”