Tea Sippers

I take my tea
without sugar
the herbs soaking the water
bitter on the tongue,
natural flavors
swirling down
chasing sleep away.

She takes hers with sweetener
not pure sugar
better for you,
if you ignore the cancer warnings,
and she likes her life like she likes her tea—
sweet and quasi-healthy
or at least as healthy as she can bear
depending on her mindset.

She doesn’t understand

My taste for bitter herbs,
my thirst for grainy flavored water,
my need to have something to compare to real sugar
because I take life like I take my tea—
hot and sharp, bitter and strong and caffeinated,
all full of natural vigor
without any sugar coating
to taste the fullness.