DARK CHOCOLATE
by Reshma Ramesh
Wrapped in shinny wrappers,
golden, red, silver and brown,
chocolate, the king of sweets,
everyone's favorite treat,
dropp it in your mouth,
it slips and melts,
bitter sweet with nuts,
lover's gift, chocolate kiss!
Born in West Africa
bred by little hands,
little feet walked three days,
on stale porridge and water,
sweets they have heard not,
schools they know not,
only cocoa farms.
With machetes in their hands,
they chop the pods,
often, when they swing too high,
they strike their leg,
often when they swing too low,
they, strike their hand,
hospitals they have none,
muddy clothes they tear
and tie the bleeding wounds,
continue to collect the beans,
for a child in the city
might be throwing a tantrum,
for his favorite sweet.
Hungry hearts, candy bars,
snakes bites, valentine's gift,
gift of blood, spraying pesticides,
dark, white and milk, pleasure trip,
horror, blood and tears, cartoon strip,
Easter egg, child labor, dark treats.
When the men in uniform they arrive,
the children hide the machete,
and pretend to play, how can they
for they know no games.
The cocoa bean from black, muddy
bleeding hands sit on the shelves
of the finest stores where tiny
soft pink hands pick them up
From hand to hand the chocolate
travels, sinned on the way
bitter sweet, the chocolate's way.
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