Tea: A Sestina
The tea, the tea, the tea is gone!
The water has run dry
The pot, the pot, the pot is cold
Not a sip to try
The Hatter must go out tonight
The March Hare sings along
Along, along, along, along
The Hatter feels far gone
The moon is bright, he's out tonight
To find the tea run dry
To find the Dream King he must try
But it is far and long and slow and cold
He comes to gates so old and cold
And the birds say 'move along'
But again again again he tries
"You see, the tea is gone!"
And now he sees the stormclouds, though his feet are dry
The Dream King comes with eyes of starry, cloudy night
The Hatter wants to flee the night
The cold is fast approaching
"What do you want?" asks the voice, cold and dark and dry
The Hatter says quite wearily, "I have come, alone and along"
"Because my tea is gone"
The Dream King laughs, and with him laugh the rain and storm and cold
The Hatter speaks, "You must try…"
"You ask me to speak of tea, tonight?"
"When she is so far gone."
"My heart is hard and cold."
"Take your words and run along.'
"For I am whittled, parched and dry.'
"Cold, hard, parched, dry!"
"There is one thing you must try!"
"Now come, Dream King, come along!"
"There's only one thing for your pains tonight!"
"Why if you're dry, you'll need water, and if you're cold…"
"A nip of tea will warm you, you'll see, your troubles soon be gone!"
"Come and give it a try!" The Hatter says and the pair are gone
Back to everlasting night, where the pot is never dry
Together with the March Hare, the Hatter and The King drink tea and sing along
