Today I took an amblin’ walk
Over to GMU
And checked on something that I’d been
Meaning to see and do
I had to know if Argo Tea’s
Location was still there
After it closed at Liberty
To hope I did not dare
And while I cannot say for sure
I think the news is bad
It seems they are replacing it
Which makes me kind of sad
The sight of it reminded me
Of something I had wrote
A monument to Argo Tea
And here is the full quote:
Woe! Argo Tea that won’drous place of joy
Has closed its gate to open just once more
But after that its spot they will alloy
And tasty tea will be in only lore
Shake Smart will take its high and noble place
Quickly stealing from us the crushed up leaves
That formed the teas in that wonderful space
And for that loss this patron mournful grieves
Missing the flavored drinks, muffins and teas
They’ll not be back for the business is dead
And one wonders why we pay student fees
For this feeling weighs down my heart with lead
And so at close, when students graduate
I hope that they for rebirth agitate
That was perhaps my third sonnet
Though I made a few tweaks
I’ve learned a bit about meter
Across these past few weeks
I wrote it just before the close
As something of a joke
But even so the tea was good
I’d rather it than Coke
So if you see an Argo Tea
(And there are a few left)
Drink to the mem’ry of the store
Whose close left me bereft