A POETRY Contest HOSTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
CHANNEL KINDNESS & Born This Way Foundation

Grandmother’s hands, cups of tea, smiling strangers… four Girls Write Now mentees share poetry about the ways they give and receive kindness, selected by a panel of Channel Kindness judges.

Simple Recipe for Ten Minute Ginger Tea

By Asma Al-Masyabi

HONORABLE MENTION

From the CHANNEL KINDNESS judge’s panel:

This poem is about such a simple, small task (making tea), and yet—through intriciate descriptions and evoking our senses, it’s portrayed with such beauty, detail, and love. Our whole team was very grateful to read this—we will never think about tea the same way again!

I.

guess six mugs of water into a pot

and set to boil as six cups–clay-baked

and glazed–wait for you to retrieve

honey, the jar beside the

knife block, glued to the marine-tiled wall

II.

dance your fingers around the plastic, search

for an unsticky spot, and then invite

gravity–

until amber heaves downwards, thins into a rill

plummets into the hollow of each mug

III.

reach for the bulbous warp of ginger, flake

the gold autumn skin,

grate the bite of sunset,

spice

should sharpen your nostrils

IV.

wait for the kettle to hum and quiver,

set it besides the patient mugs

root through cupboards

for a silver sieve, and admire

the milky yellow clouds in bloom

V.

catch the dimmed ceiling LEDs

in the chamber of teaspoon’s lip

ripple liquid into opacity, before eyes flicker to

weary green lines on the microwave clock,

count: one, two-and-a-half minutes to seep

VI.

frame family in doorway, huddled on charcoal couch,

ad break muted in favor of bad jokes, laughter

gentle–wait for the punchline to pour gush of warmth into mugs,

clink spoon to make sonorous honey hum

to mellow ginger buzz

VII.

serve from behind,

leaning over shoulders, careful–

handle-first–as you place steaming mugs into familiar hands,

finish with small hug and ask

what did I miss?

Process

A Poetry Contest & Story Collection

When you think about kindness, what sights and sounds come to mind? How do you encapsulate such grand feelings of compassion? Girls Write Now mentees and alumni rose to the challenge in the Art of Kindness Poetry Contest, hosted in partnership with Channel Kindness and Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation.

ABOUT CHANNEL KINDNESS READ MORE POEMS