“Today, I’d like to challenge you to write a poem that anthropomorphizes a kind of food. It could be a favourite food of yours, or maybe one you feel conflicted about. I feel conflicted about Black Forest Cake, for example. It always looks so pretty in a bakery window, and I want to like the combination of cherries and chocolate . . . but I don’t. But how does the cake feel about it?”

My poem combines the two prompts – to write a sedoka and to write a poem that anthropomorphizes a kind of food. The prompt to write a Sedoka was provided by Dr Ampat Koshy from a poetry group called ‘The Significant League’ on Facebook. The group has also been hosting the NaPoWriMo challenge for the last two years.

Note:
1. A sedoka poem is a call and response poem. These love poems are made up of two katauta verses. The first verse is a katauta in which one lover poses a question to another. The second verse is the partner’s reply, also written as a katauta. Each verse has a 5-7-5 or 5-7-7 pattern.
2. Katauta: This three-line poem has a syllabic meter of either 5-7-5 or 5-7-7. A katauta is often called an incomplete poem. The form is written as one lover addressing another. When paired with the response from the other lover, the two katauta become a sedoka.)

My poem for the day – True Love – Chocolat

I look at you and
my heart does a cartwheel. Do
you know I love you?

                    You don't have to spell
                    it out; I see it in your
                    honey brown dewy eyes.


Do you know how much?
I am a better person
when you are with me.

                   I'd be a fool if
                   I didn't. You shun all who love
                   you when you have me.


If you know so much
tell me, do you love me too
Or is it just me?

                   Yes, I do. Because
                   you don't rush. You savour each
                   moment together.


I'm thrilled to hear it
Does the thought ever cross you
that you might lose me?

                    It did when you hired
                    a trainer to get fit, but
                    you are so loyal


You're quite the tease,
you know? You have me all wrapped
around your finger.

Anybody who knows me knows how I feel about chocolate. Its not the  
devouring-the-entire-bar kind of love (I couldn't afford to do 
it at my age). It's the 'taking-each-bite' and letting it melt 
in your mouth kind of love. My love for cocoa is almost spiritual.
You're probably laughing, but, that's Ok. 

The 'food of the Gods' calms me down, helps me remain sane in
situations beyond my control and and it's my most easily accessible
no-frills 'me-time'. 
The brown, gooey love and I share a bond that's hard to express. 
We've grown together - staying with me during my years at boarding
school, reminding me of home. And in University, calming my nerves
down. In the years after Uni, I allowed a number of things to come
between us - ice-creams, cakes, cookies. It can't be helped. I was 
growing up and I had to explore my choices.
However, the hardships of the last few years, brought me back to it 
- it provided me with a hedonic gratification at the end of a day -
this time it came in the shape of bitter chocolate and came
guilt-free. So, it's here to stay. 

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