Ode to a Coffee Pot
Ah, Bodum! For two decades
you have travelled across the seas
my constant portable companion
dwelt with me on three continents
and never ceased to provide
comfort when called upon
Together we crossed the Széchenyi
endured American autumns in exile
survived a London winter in poverty
enjoyed marvellous homecomings
I gently spoon freshly-ground
Colombian coffee into you
and fill you with boiling water
let you brew on your own
allow you to take your time
like a teenage girl smoking
on the front step
of a run-down milk bar
before pressing your plunger
slowly towards your base
Together we make lovely liquid
smooth as the fleece of a vicuña
let us continue collaborating
far into the future
I will continue to protect you
whether journeying
or staying home, dear Bodum
- Nathanael O'Reilly 2013
Nathanael O'Reilly is the author of Exploring Suburbia: The Suburbs in the Contemporary Australian Novel Poetry Reviews Editor for Transnational Literature President of the American Association of Australasian Literary Studies (AAALS).
1 comment:
I love the affectionate, almost mock-heroic tone. Faux-sexuality of pushing the plunger, and overstated sensuality of the Vicuna and the almost 'oriental' Szechenui.
All the while the poem remains a real tribute to an old friend.
Makes me want to fire-up my own Bodum and settle in for the afternoon with a good collection of poetry.
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