November 21 – December 9th, 2020

I.
Holding My Mug of Peppermint Tea
I See My Ride Arrive,
My Fingers Fill with Danish Cookies
Bells Sway in the Wind,

Spearmint Steam Warms My Lips,
Tisane takes the Chill Away from My Cheeks,
I Sip into Delicate Ecstasy
And the Pullman Comes to a Halt,

Chimes Ring Louder & Faster
I Bite into My Butter Biscuit,
Pinwheels of Snow Blow in the Breeze
The Air is a Lully Balm,

I See the Hoarfrost Hang from the Train
Dangling off the Window Frames,
Children Toss Snowballs Between One Another,
Among their Fun, Laughter is a Muse,

Upon the Platform, Rubies Spiral,
Snowflakes Descend like Flower Petals,
Leucojums Rise Through their Mingling
They Ribbon Around the Trees, and Coat them Like Icing,

I Savor My Peppermint Sip
As it Drip-Drops onto My Lips,
Horns Alert My Eyes to the Holiday Lights
Their Sound is a Bellowing Echo

II.
I Step onto the Trolley Car,
Riders Sit Down, Ready to Travel Far,
Green Apple Grapevines Enclose the Copper Walls
Their Light Bounces off the Raven-Shaded Trees,

Kids Sample Cider, They Leap Between their Seats,
I Gaze at Them, Acrobats on Trampolines,
Their Flips Make the Passengers Giggle
Chuckles Pop around like Snapping Peanut Brittle,

I Take Another Taste of My Tisane,
Mint is Fresh and Tepid,
Windows Align with the Picture-Books of Youth
Our Dining Car is a Giant Gingerbread Carriage,

Rolling By, the Jovial Jump Between Compartments,
Their Joy is a Gem More Valuable than Snow,
Watermint Heats My Hands & Throat
A Gift from the Tea Sommelier,

Walking up the Hallways of the Train
Each Entry is Marked by a Pinecone Wreath,
As if the Fontana della Pigma was Right Here
Every Cone is a Crown Made of Art, Faith, and Yesteryear,

Tea Mist and Conifer Seeds Awaken in their Wait,
I Witness their Blend Radiate,
Emitting Beams of Beauty, Flying Across the Carriage
Eyes are Transfixed in the Pull of their Passage,

III.
The Coulter Saplings Await their Bloom,
My Peppermint Tea Has Been Gulped,
I Take One More Look Outside the Train,
A Descending Breath is Showcased,

Cousins, Kids, Parents and Friends, I See Them All Return to their Seats,
They Huddle Together with Quilts & Crayons,
Tea Cups are Shared as Holiday Presents, the Air Hums a Soft Lilt,
The Warmth is Strongly Felt,
Thus Ends the Tale I Have Woven, of the Peppermint Tea Pullman