The East India Tea Company

Plantations, to eyes horizon.

Property of White Man.

Business is thriving

Profits delighting.

One by one, they'd arrived

Seeking liquid gold.

Swindled, misappropriated

Till they could declare, proudly

"These lands are now OURS"

And they expanded

Where they'd landed.

Learning, efficiently, quickly

The best way to exploit

This foreign-empire's rich soils.

Quickly established a name

Soon wife and kids came.

Not inclined to climate

They simply didn’t like it!

So hysterically and suffering

Dysentery, they soon retreated.

Back to Blighty to be treated.

Native Workers (NOT SLAVES)

toiled endlessly, underpaid.

Twelve hours - seven days

As scorching Indian sun blazed.

To please the aristocracy,

things must be done properly.

Crops tendered, harvested

Leaves dried, packed promptly.

Authority respected politely,

Brit’s must appear mighty.

Wooden crates, company stamp

Lugged carefully up ships ramp.

Stacked in the hold,

Precious as a cargo of gold.

To sail seven seas

Home to the Motherland.

In high society homes

4 O'clock can now see

Well dressed Ladies

Gathered socially

To take tea

Nibbling dainty sandwiches

While sipping fashionably.