Tibetan Tea Poem by Daniel Trevelyn Joseph

About ten years ago, we were
In Ladakh for a fortnight
Kept hearing about Tibetans
Keeping themselves warm by yak
Butter poured in tea to drink.

Now in Tawang, close to Lhasa
Jumli Ado to look after us,
I raised the point of Tibetan tea,
With yak butter: he broke his silence,
“We call it ‘namkeen chai’, salty tea”.

When he saw us off at Circuit House,
He said he would try with his friend
Called him up right there on mobile
An hour later, he was back with a big flask

I had the salty tea – warm, buttery,
Rich and different,
One more desire fulfilled, one more step
Towards Nirvana, I can die in peace.