Sea Salt Caramel Fudge by Mercury Sunderland

sea salt caramel fudge
sits delicately inside a tin
it has traveled across continent borders

to wait for the upset stomach
of one
who has grown so tired
of plain rice & ramen

how does it taste they ask
when simple riches are washed down
with pepto bismol & tums

as if i had taken these personally
from scotland myself
downed myself in the whiskey bottle
my mom the opera singer
had bought in a faraway land

i say
opera singers don’t make much
they’re yet another struggling performing art
who entertains the wealthy
my entire family of artists
has day jobs like the rest of us

sea salt caramel fudge
litters my desk with blue wrappers
delicious & tender
is something my heart desires
but my stomach says no no no

is it really so bad
that i want to indulge myself sometimes
like everyone else who exists

salty & savory
are a match made in heaven

what puts two together
isn’t just a theme
but what compliments
& makes them one

sweet soft brown treats
squish easily in my fingers
to be delicious
is to be vulnerable

sea salt caramel fudge
sits delicately inside a tin
it has traveled across continent borders

to wait for the upset stomach
of one
who has grown so tired
of plain rice & ramen.