November, 2008
If life were like those diverse bits,
the finest box of chocolates.
Surprise in every bite, it sits
with treasured aftertaste.
But life, it is more like the rose,
with beauty hiding threat below.
Lift the leaves to find that grow
troubles there encased.
To hold the rose means holding on
though cut and scratched by every thorn,
while raising high the cruel form
with strength that pain will give.
But chocolate? Sweet and sorrow free,
though none the stronger it makes me.
With life so simple, this would be
the weakest way to live.
18 responses so far ↓
@ngie // November 17, 2008 at 8:02 am
Agreed
cathi stegall // November 17, 2008 at 9:38 am
did someone say chocolate?
Megan Schell // November 17, 2008 at 9:45 am
Mandy, this was awesome!
Natalie @ I AM (not) // November 17, 2008 at 10:13 am
Well, maybe so, but I still would rather my hubs bring home chocolate than flowers. Call me crazy. Unless, of course, it’s chocolate roses. Hey! that would solve your poetic problem!!
Vicki // November 17, 2008 at 10:33 am
you ought to submit this to a magazine! I know a great one that will love this poem, Alive magazine.
Here’s the link:
http://www.alivemagazine.org/index.php
Let me know how it goes!
Heidi // November 17, 2008 at 10:58 am
Awesome… Thank you girl!!
Marisa // November 17, 2008 at 11:49 am
Amazing.
tam // November 17, 2008 at 12:19 pm
ok. im making more dark chocolate chip cookies in your honor today.
i love you.
mandythompson // November 17, 2008 at 12:21 pm
If y’all knew how much stinking chocolate I’ve consumed since starting the work on this poem, you’d laugh. Then throw up!
Vickie: Checking into it. I might be too old. Thank you, though.
sara // November 17, 2008 at 2:01 pm
You may have just made it on my wall of doodles, Miss Mandy. I loved it. Truly.
Tam… could you make some semi-sweet chocolate chip ones for me? Thanks. You’re the best.
tam // November 17, 2008 at 2:50 pm
im on it Gitz!
mandythompson // November 17, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Sara: What’s the wall o’ doodles? Do you have a post/pic about it?
Tam… Don’t forget me.
If you mail them, they’ll apparently get here in like 3 days. That’s less time than it takes my Granny’s stuff from GA.
sara // November 17, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Here’s the wall, Mandy: http://gitzengirl.blogspot.com/2008/06/wall-doodles.html
And if you ever find yourself with an extra $30 laying around, this is where you can order the BEST pail of monster cookies you can dream of: https://www.cookies-etc.com/shipping/index.php
annie // November 17, 2008 at 8:13 pm
That’s a great poem, Mandy!
alece // November 21, 2008 at 3:26 pm
this was great, friend!
Anita // November 22, 2008 at 2:05 am
I like that, even though at first read I thought you were telling me eating chocolate for endorphins was a cop-out on having them released by real life experiences; which would be a great lesson for me, but I digress.
I read it again. I get it now. Very nice.
Anita // November 22, 2008 at 2:06 am
P.S. It’s WAY cool that you made gitz’s wall of doodles. That thing rocks.
Anita // November 22, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Mandy, I stood and experienced something painful and beautiful at the same time today, and this poem was hanging in my mind. Thank you for sharing you gift with us.