She cradles the cup in her hand,
swooshes the puddle of tea around the bottom
and watches the black leaves dance in liquid.
The cup gets turned upside down on its saucer,
then flipped over again for inspection.
What stories will the leaves tell?
A snake on the rim.
A boat near the center.
A broomstick colliding with a bird.
The leaves fall into perfect place,
allowing her to unlock treasures of the past
and secrets of the future.
And as sure as the lines on her palms
speak of the fate etched into her body,
the dancing leaves now sit still in truth.
(Photo by Neven Krcmarek on Unsplash)