Category:Poetry on Cups and Saucers

From Mystic Tea Room

The English cultural heritage of reciting enchantments — sorcery in the form of a specific style of sing-song rhyme — persists in tea cup and tea leaf poetry. Sometimes the verses are part of the exterior decoration on the cup, sometimes they advertise tea leaf reading services, and sometimes they are included in books about tea leaf reading.

Poety on Tea Cups

Woulds’t learn thy future with thy tea?
This magic cup will show it thee
— The Nelros Cup of Fortune, exterior

Many curious things I see
While telling fortunes in your tea
— Paragon Omens and Signs, interior

Woulds’t thy fortune like to see?
Perchance this cup will show it thee
— Jon Anton Taltos Fortune Telling Cup, exterior

Maybe the leaves will disclose to thee
The future thous't would wish to see
— Morley House Tea Leaf Reading Tea Cup, exterior

Poetry in Books on Tasseomancy

First, wish your heart's desire, then pour the golden tea
Find your fortune in the cup, your happiness to be
— S. E. M. Putnam, “Learn How to Tell Tea Cup Fortunes”

After a cheery tea-time, linger o'er the tea;
Turn a cup to find the luck coming to you or me
— S. E. M. Putnam, “Learn How to Tell Tea Cup Fortunes”

A cup of tea for you and me
Is restful-like as it can be
— Muriel, “The Muriel Method of Tea-Leaf Reading”

Poetry in Advertisements for Tea Leaf Readers

The Gypsy from the leaves of Tea
Will tell what was and is to be
— Advertisement for the Gypsy Tea Shop, New York City, NY.

Your Fortune free
From leaves of tea
— Advertisement for the Gypsy Tea Shop, Pittsburgh, PA.

A dainty lunch, a cup of tea,
Your future told, that you might see
Your fortune in the grounds of tea
— Advertisement for the Egyptian Tea Room, Kansas City, MO.