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The book The House of the World has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and is now available on Amazon.

The Story “Au Chocolate”

I’m not sure I understand
the will-o’-the-wisp,
that rushes into town
with her little bird beside her.
Maman, why can’t we rest?
her baby asks.
Maman looks into the shadows.
We’re almost there dear,
just a little more.
And the night parts as they run,
and the story of Au Chocolate begins.

Love, betrayal,
the sadnesses of life multiplied,
and the marvelous chocolates
Maman makes.
A story of magic consequences
and how people find their way,
blindly,
through the Braille of the world,
fate redeeming broken love.
People looking for the lost parts
of themselves.

And the story weaves tragedy and destiny
into openings.
Maman, can we stay this time?
the little girl asks
the will-o’-the-wisp,
pausing,
hovering between some last place
and the one ahead.
The morning is rising.
Maman stops her eternal search
to give her bird a home.
Fulfilling something of herself,
creature of a strange wind
fleeing from the storm.

Published inIndex of all Poems