I may not have known you as long as some
but my heart melted in my mouth
first time we met at the little house of chocolate
down State Road just past the local precinct
Malcolm Campbell introduced me to you
on the ferry before my Chilmark days
he sidled up to say hi greeting my dogs
shared his story of Chilmark Chocolates
his loss was our gain
now we must say thank you
accept farewell to all the chocolate elves
farewell to slipping a tasty treat into our mouths
farewell to eyeing our favorites behind the glass
mine were the bags of Sunday butter crunch toppings
assorted odd and end pieces, caramel nut chews, dipped caramel
or nuts alone, now alone with memories
boxes preserved for celebration holidays and all those friends
who served us with smiles waiting while decisions were made
changed chocolate oh chocolate from Chappy Chews
to Squibnockets we will dream of the days
you melted in our mouths
sharing your chocolate lore with our children’s children
our ways joys become old stories can you taste smell
more than a memory stirring up the warm shroud
of family summer vacations winter candy refuge in a storm
Chilmark Chocolates have traveled by post by car by foot
by horse by plane packed in suitcases bubble wrap fine paper
plastic bags silken ribbons or the standard
gold elastic over semi-gloss white stock
seasonal for holidays their name on top or inside
nothing shipped and were shut most of August
a winter month after Easter tomorrow is their last day
I can’t bare to return and missed my rainy day chance
thinking of umbrellas fishing gear mucks waiting
in line grateful for all those morsels
sometimes in guilt otherwise just the antidote
yes chocolate especially down the road
in a house one way in one way out my heart always melted
By Valerie Sonnenthal
Valerie Sonnenthal lives in Chilmark with her husband and two dogs, writes the Chilmark town column and is a regular contributor to the MV Times, and is a member of the Cleveland House Poets. She owns Peaked Hill Studio where she offers Sound Healing and Kaiut Yoga.
