The Sweet, Sour, and Salty Cake

A poetic response to The Metaphor by Budge Wilson

I once had a frosted cake

Adorned with icing 

overly colourful and sweet

That could only be relished 

By curious and artless children

Who welcomed the intense flavour 

of the frosting

as an appetizer 

That activated their curiosity for words 

and creativity

However 

The cake was cruelly rejected 

And condemned 

And mocked

By the sophisticated and ignorant crowds

Who only judge by the superficial facade

They never discovered that

Beneath the covering

There were two delectable layers:

Chocolate that was rich and sweet 

And would leave people craving more;

And vanilla that was subtle and delicate

That was hard to perceive 

yet impossible to forget

That still lingers on my palate

leaving me in sour remorse

I knew I should have treasured it

But instead

I let it melt

Into a puddle of frosting 

and broken dreams 

salted with tears