knobs, buttons, and pressure gauges
purchased with half a month’s wages
what started with a moka pot
gave way to this fancy thing I bought
just so I could taste the smooth texture
that sweet, frothing nectar…
the crema of an espresso shot
thinking it will change my depresso plot
of a boring morning routine
that now starts with turning on this machine.Like blood coursing through its robotic vein
I hear the gurgle of the water boiler wane
Reaching the temperature of 203 degrees
It flashes this number just to tease
But it’s not actually ready till it says “ok!”
So I start to prepare my iced latte.This good grinder grinds into equally-sized bits
preventing flow through any uneven pits
The timer runs its course to dispense
but I weigh it out to ensure it makes sense
18 grams delivered of this fine, gritty powder
We’re ready to let the machine show off its power.Let the group head pour out its heart in vane
but just for a second, do we let it rain
We ensure it’s clean enough to be relied upon
Tap, Tamp, Twist, and Set – the pressures onAgain, we measure by scale, the output
Basically to make sure it won’t taste like soot
36 grams in 30-something seconds is what we hope to score
now it’s time to taste what we’ve been waiting forIt’s not good. It’s awful. It’s like lawn-mower grass
Yes, I’m saying all this hard work, and it tastes like ass
So, in reviewing all the steps I’ve taken
I have an inkling that it’s me that’s been mistakenLooking to transfer where the blame came from
I declare the tamper threw a temper tantrum
that forced me to press down too hard,
even after making it this far…
No, I am the reason why yield was so bitter
But I just need to try again, because I am not a quitter.
Copyright © Angela Murrell 2024. All rights reserved.
About “Not a bitter quitter” – When was it written, and where was it performed:
This poem was written on January 15th, 2020. I did a live reading during my headlines on January 28th, 2020, and again in November 2022 at The Acid Vault (a creative space designed by TinyNightmare), organized as part of the Poet’s Underground community events in San Diego, CA.
- This poem was inspired by a moka pot gifted to us in December 2019 by Lollie & Ben 🥰
- This is Michael’s second favorite poem
- I really enjoy saying lines from this poem at home every now and then like “my boring morning routine” or “knobs, buttons and pressure guages!”
- When I perform this, I give the “ok” in the line But it’s not actually ready till it says “ok!” I use a different voice, higher pitched, and use my arms like I am a robot 🤖
Have you thought about writing a poem lately? What in your morning routine could you write a poem about? Do you have a hobby you interact with every day?
Instead of traditional comments, I encourage you to respond with blog posts, videos, or other digital creations on your own space (read why here).
👉 Share your response by posting a url to contribute to the evolving conversation section, which also includes prompts to inspire you.
While on the topic of hobbies…
Have you noticed a hobby of yours that is supported by technology? Michael makes latte art at our house using the espresso machine I described in this poem… and he documents it online via Instagram! (🤐He wants this to be small and private, and I keep ruining that.) I’ve recently realized that a lot of my favorite technology revolves around my hobbies or supports them somehow. For now, however, when it comes to coffee, I think I will keep it offline and stick to drinking it!
Below are some social posts from my November 2022 headline.
Since this is the first poetry post, I will associate these pictures with this poem entry. I am indexing these memories, holding them to avoid relying on social media platforms for posterity. I hope you find them entertaining!
![Inspired by Poets Underground in 2019, Angela broke her 10yr long hiatus from writing poems, performing at open mics & writing all new pieces. Covering topics like small business relief funding, doom scrolling, and [bad] habit forming in the 2020 P.U anthology, she is committed to evolving her style via new creations.](https://angelamurrell.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/xPoetry-headline-Nov-2022-2-540x540.jpg.pagespeed.ic.FWwiYYAOBQ.jpg)
After this headline, one of my friends got into writing poetry again! She went on to get published in the third Poet’s Underground anthology. Performances can be inspiring even if your people choose a different medium than you. Poems “for the page” are also fun. I do occasionally write poems meant to be read internally, but I am inspired by having an event to read them at.
