Honorable Mention: where to hide chocolate (for Caity)

when you were young, stashing
the chocolate cold
behind vegetables
was just right.
then you grew –
like a mushroom.

behind the eggs?
that worked  –
till you discovered pancakes.

a warm cache  
behind the snacks?
not a chance –
those were your favorite foods.

the basement was
too musky,
the garage
too melty.

finally

came the day
to accept the fact that
chocolate
was your kind of plum –

which is to say –

ripe for plunder,
without apology.

when you were young, stashing
the chocolate cold
behind vegetables
was just right.
then you grew –
like a mushroom.

behind the eggs?
that worked  –
till you discovered pancakes.

a warm cache  
behind the snacks?
not a chance –
those were your favorite foods.

the basement was
too musky,
the garage
too melty.

finally

came the day
to accept the fact that
chocolate
was your kind of plum –

which is to say –

ripe for plunder,
without apology.