CONTEST CELEBRATES NATIONAL POETRY MONTH WITH TEA-THEMED POEMS
Tea is a refreshment that brings the world together. Every year around the world, three billion tons of tea are produced for consumption. And every morning two billion people drink tea before beginning their day.
To honor how a perfectly steeped cup of tea can make the world feel slightly smaller and more connected, The Larkin Tea Company is hosting its second Tea Poetry Contest as a way to celebrate tea through poetry.
Poems will be judged by Dr. Kim Marie White Lewis, professor of English and Communication at Lord Fairfax College in Virginia, and a published author.
The first-prize winner will receive $150 in products from The Larkin Tea Company, a two-year subscription to Tea Time Magazine, plus either the winner’s choice of one of Tea Time’s books or two of the magazine’s special issues. The second-prize winner will receive $50 in products from The Larkin Tea Company and a one-year subscription to Tea Time Magazine.
Deadline to enter is April 12, 2022. Winners will be announced April 26, 2022.
Last year’s winner, Renata Dumitrascu of Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, was born in Romania before she called the U.S. her home. Her award-winning poem reflected her love of tea and the world:
“I Made a World”
I made a world for you and me
An atmosphere, a land, a sea
And if I swirl my little spoon
You’ll see appear a milky moon
Come walk with me beneath its glow
On sugared sand and honeyed flow
To friendship, we may find the key
Come join me for a cup of tea.
How to enter
The poem must be about tea and must contain the words “tea,” “camellia sinensis,” or names of different teas. Poems are to consist of no more than five verses and must be an original composition by the person submitting the poem. Only one poem per person. Poems cannot contain vulgarity. Only people living in the United States may enter. The winners must be prepared to provide a photograph and a short biography of themselves.
All poems entered in the competition become the property of The Larkin Tea Company.
To submit a poem, mail it to The Larkin Tea Company, 545 Warm Springs Ave., Martinsburg, WV 25404, or email it to judy@larkintea.com. Deadline to enter is April 12, 2022. The winning poem will be published on April 26, 2022, on Larkin Tea Company’s Facebook page and its website, www.larkintea.com.
Ways to celebrate National Poetry Month
In 1966, the Academy of American Poets founded April as National Poetry Month as a way to shine a light on poetry. Here are a few ideas on how to celebrate all month long.
• Poems with friends. Afternoon teas with poetry readings and recitals were once a popular form of entertainment. Serve a cup of tea from Larkin Tea Company to family or friends while everyone either recites an original or favorite poem.
• Write. Buy a fancy journal and take time every day for yourself for quiet time and jot down some lines. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it is meant to inspire yourself to write future poems.
• Recite it. Memorizing poems was once a part of education. Ask family and friends to record videos reciting the poetry they were taught in school.
• Assign a word. Randomly assign a word to yourself and your poetry friends ask them to use it in a poem. Have everyone recite their poems during the next gathering and award a prize for the best poem.
About The Larkin Tea Company
The Larkin Tea Company is owned by Judy and Bill Larkin, certified tea specialists. Their company sells tea from around the world as well as holds special events educating people about tea. The Larkin Tea Company was named in 2018 as one of the best tea houses in West Virginia by Best Things West Virginia. For more information, go to www.larkintea.com or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/larkintea.