The birth of a Cocoa bean

From pale green

(or red or purple) you turned

into sunshine signaling me

that you are in hurry to be picked

from the budded

befruited

standing scepter

of the forest.

Why hurry? You will be cut

in half, you football-shaped creature!

You will no longer remain you.

You will be your many soft white seeds

with smooth pulps bearing your sweetness

with tempered sourness.

Then, you will merely be scooped out right away.

(Children in the Philippines will gently suck you first, though).

For a week, your soft delicate seeds

will be fermented under the seething sun,

or on some days, in a dryer machine.

As if for you being picked is a happy occasion,

you ignore me then and now.

Mind you, Dear Cacao, you will be sun-dried for one more week

before your individual selves in the form of cocoa beans

will be shipped out of Ivory coast or Indonesia.

*A poem inspired after reading Chocolat

Here's my review on the book itself.

Foot and Fire