The Fourth Cup
Poetry on Silent Confessions and Conflict
Cold coffee turns acidic --and stings.
Just like a quarrel left unresolved.
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I brew four cups of coffee in the morning.
We finish three--
And the fourth cools.
In front of a chair
No one sits on.
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They say I am forgetful
But I remember to brew it--
For you.
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You--
Who would sit,
Stoic,
Silent
Never said why you stayed out late--
Who she was
Or who I am.
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And I--
Who smiled, hugged,
Muted questions.
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Silence won.
The coffee--
Cold.
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No sorries.
No quarrels.
Just coffee.
Cold.
Acidic.
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This morning, I drank the fourth cup.
It stung the tongue--
Sour acid
That burned,
Never washed
Away.
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Original poem by Michelle Liew. AI tags are coincidental.
About the Creator
Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin
Hi, i am an English Language teacher cum freelance writer with a taste for pets, prose and poetry. When I'm not writing my heart out, I'm playing with my three dogs, Zorra, Cloudy and Snowball.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insight
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
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Comments (9)
Visual, rhythmic and impactful. Nice work.
Sad but perfectly expressed
The word acidic was very powerful. Thank you for writing this. It was excellent 🎊
I cannot believe AI was tagged in this because this poem is pure human experiencing coffee. Excellent coffee poetry. I am sure all coffee lovers can relate.
sure can imagine the coffee laden moments.
Great narrative, such a strong full circle moment. Great job!
oof, I can feel the emotion in this one. You did really well; the rhythm and word choice are impeccable
Oh wow, never knew coffee could be such a powerful metaphor for a relationship conflict. Very poignant, Michelle.
I love how much emotion you can pack into a cup of coffee!