Set in Stone

When I was a kid I learned to eat
By ending a meal with something sweet;
Pudding, ice cream, sweet canned fruit –
The need for sweet was absolute.

That craving had been set in stone
When I’m with others, or alone.
My dinner will not feel complete
Unless it’s finished with a treat:

Cake or fruit pie, a la mode;
Worth the sugar overload.
Licorice or Hershey’s kisses
Join the list of never-misses.

Halvah, gummies, chocolate raisins,
Toasted nuts with honey glazin’s;
Cobblers, cookies, lemon tarts,
Any sweet that’s off the charts.

All I need’s a bite or two
To let me know my meal is through.
Dessert is a necessity
And always will be so to me.