I'm a Little Teapot

I’m a Little Teapot

         Yes, I’m a little teapot. But please do not call me short nor stout. I would rather that you consider me as being height challenged, that is as teapots go. However, I do not consider height an issue, for I fit very easily on the bottom shelf of the cabinet. In fact my spout easily overlooks the sugar bowl, who I think is a little envious of my added height. Don’t get me wrong, the pitcher used for ice tea on the hot summer day is twice as tall and has just an inch or so of clearance from the shelf above. How uncomfortable that must be to always feel the nearness of the next shelf. No, I am happy with my height.

         I am a little portly by design. My roundness affords two large cups of tea to be brewed so that the chill may be subdued on cold winter nights. My roundness seems to help distribute the heat of the fire that embraces my bottom, which over the years has discolored a little because of the frequent contact with the fire. However, you can barely notice it since I am a rich, deep, brown color. Please do not call me a coffee pot. Although I have assumed the deep hue of coffee, the nasty stuff has never brewed in my round pot.

         I am quite proud of my spout. It is regal if I should say so myself. It curves gently from the rotund pot in an almost s-curve. My spout opening is small and v-shaped. When the tea pours from my classically shaped spout it is channeled into a narrow stream that fills the cup in a gentle arc. It is quite elegant and very impressive when it pours.

         My handle is adequate. It is not ornate, but rather functional. When removed from the fire with the tea freshly brewed it is necessary to use a kitchen towel to guard against the heat that has been conducted to my handle. I suppose the floppy metal handles that some teapots have are easier to hold, not needing the kitchen towel to protect from the heat. But they have no design, no beauty, no aesthetics. My simple little handle complements my spout as it curves out from the pot only to loop gracefully back again to form the handle.

         As I consider myself, I am glad to be a little teapot. I get to do so much more than the glasses and the plates. I steam, gurgle and get to whistle. The thing that pleases me most is that I am the only one on the shelf. There are eight glasses, eight plates, eight saucers and cups. But there is only one of me. Yes, I am certainly fortunate to be a little teapot.