Poetry in a Chest of Tea / TBR Pile: Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer

"There is a great deal of poetry in a chest of tea." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

What I'm Reading:

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot

My copy is illustrated by Edward Gorey.

(picture taken from Goodreads)

A Little Taste to Share:

"Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer"

"Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer were a very notorious couple

          of cats.

As knockabout clowns, quick-change comedians, tight-rope

          walkers and acrobats

They had an extensive reputation. They made their home in

          Victoria Grove--

That was merely their centre of operation, for they were

          incurably given to rove.

They were very well known in Cornwall Gardens, in

          Launceston Place and in Kensington Square--

They had really a little more reputation than a couple of cats

          can very well bear.

       "If the area window was found ajar

       And the basement looked like a field of war,

       If a tile or two came loose on the roof,

       Which presently ceased to be waterproof,

       If the drawers were pulled out from the bedroom chests,

       And you couldn't find one of your winter vests,

       Or after supper one of the girls

       Suddenly missed her Woolworth pearls:

Then the family would say: 'It's that horrible cat!

It was Mungojerrie--or Rumpelteazer!'--And most of the time

          they left it at that."

Those are the first two stanzas of such an enjoyable poem! And since I finished the book, I'll go ahead and write my thoughts on that here. One word: fun! I had seen the musical Cats before (which is based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot) but never sat down to read this book. It didn't follow a storyline like the musical, but I enjoyed the little poems about different cats whose names you should learn (but only if they trust you enough to tell you). And the illustrations from Edward Gorey really captured the spirit of the book! I'll be keeping this on my shelf for a little whimsical pick-me-up once in a while. This is the first book toward my 2015 TBR Pile Reading Challenge.

What I'm Drinking:

Earl Grey by Tea of Life
(tea bags)

You'll find out really fast that black tea is my favorite. I drink the other kinds from time to time, but nothing beats a nice, strong mug of black tea. Ahhhhh. Unless I mention otherwise (since it might affect the taste), I usually drink black teas strong (always brewed for 4-6 minutes) with a teaspoon of sugar and after it's still warm but not hot. That being said, Earl Grey is a good go-to for a basic cup of black tea. This is part of the description from Tea of Life: "A smooth full bodied black tea from the Uva District of Ceylon blended with bergamot flavor to create a century old tea called Earl Grey." It has a strong, unwavering flavor, even when you change up the sweeteners or drink it with a cookie or scone. I got this one as a Christmas gift from my sister, and it lived up to the name!

Something on the Side:

"Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer"--from Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber

(video taken from YouTube)