Ode to the Bean

Seven Kwansabas* about My Obsession,

by Andrew Theising – Coffee Junkie

(*a kwansaba is a poetic style developed by my colleague and the Poet Laureate of

East St. Louis: Professor Eugene B. Redmond;

it is seven lines of seven words, with each word containing not more than seven letters)

1. Wondering

From where do you come, little bean?

South America, Africa, or a place between?

Where on the hilltop did you grow?

Do tell—who made you so mellow?

Who picked you? What have you seen?

You have traveled far, in vacuum jar.

Be free; come to me, little bean.

2. Coffee Shop Blues

Oh that grimy shop on Hampton Avenue.

The only coffee shop with a jukebox.

Gum resides under the tables and chairs.

Costs seventy cents to fill it up.

I hear the words of pure love.

Regular or decaf, which will it be?

Regular, thank you; black if you please.

3. When I was a Boy

My memory steals away to boyhood days.

We played with mercury from broken therms.

Eight-track players blared new Chicago hits.

Cars rusted, some all the way through.

And the coffee would perk every morning.

Who can forget the old pot’s hiccup?

4. My First Time

I recall that day, only a boy;

A cup and saucer, filled with joy.

But I would not drink it straight.

First I’d fill it with Coffee Mate.

Three cubes of sugar, then a stir.

I sipped it; I did, yes sir.

I spit it out for another day.

5. Starbucks

Too many worry about the big chains;

But truly we have nothing to fear.

Though there are many, much remains;

It is alright to have them near.

For it is not coffee they’re selling,

What they sell us is more telling.

They sell us SPACE we hold dear.

6. Prohibition

Taking stock of life, I’ve gone dry.

I drink no booze; I said goodbye.

But when you let go, think why.

It’s all about how one gives slack,

And all about what one gets back.

Bottled joy simply no longer matched up

With what drips into the ceramic cup.

7. End of the Day

Day old coffee really is a sin.

‘Tis not sinful to roast the bean.

‘Tis not sinful to grind it up.

‘Tis not sinful to brew with steam.

‘Tis not sinful to fill the cup.

‘Tis not even how bad it tastes,

Rather—the sin is that coffee waits.

I took this photo below in Spring of 2009, in Vancouver, at the intersection of Robson Road and Thurlow Street. Look very carefully.

There is a Starbucks catty corner to another Starbucks at the same intersection.

We knew the day would come when there was a Starbuck’s on every-other corner!

(…and people think Canada is great for its health care!)

What I love about SIUE!

Photo below taken outside the Board Room in the MUC.