
Tea comes in many variations,
And so do we.
We naively think
There are many different kinds.
There are not.
Assam, Oolong, Earl Grey, English Breakfast,
Asian, Negroid, Hispanic,
Mongol, Caucasian.
Tea comes from one plant. One root.
And so do we.
We think, “Oh, this is a different tea.”
It is not.
Just grown in a different place.
Just brought up differently.
Let us then not forgo
The enjoyment of our own
Human variations,
Sometimes grown in a different place,
Brought up differently.
Variations from one root.
Susan Patterson
2003
Audio of Variations From One Root
Discussion on Variations From One Root

Book sales...pictured is Susan Patterson reading her poetry to a visitor at the World Tea Expo.
A huge thank you to Gail Gastelu of the Tea House Times for hosting Susan, not only at the convention, but in Gail's magazine as well. Susan's tea poetry has been spotlighted in the Tea House Times for almost ten years.
http://www.theteahousetimes.com/
