Ginger Ale

I don’t drink soda as a rule,
But when I’m sick, I’m not a fool – 
I think of sick days as a kid
And do the things my mother did.

She served us soup and toast and tea
And baked potatoes, naturally,
And then, of course, was ginger ale,
A stomach balm that would not fail.

So that’s the diet I’ve imbibed,
Exactly as I’ve just described.
Yet here’s a fact that I found strange
About how ginger ale did change.

We had one old can – ordered more
And when they got here from the store,
The new ones tasted much less sweet,
The reason worth a quick repeat.

The older version said it had
140 calories – not bad.
The current cans have 1-3-0,
For sugar’s not the way to go.

The old one brought me to my youth.
The newer one, to tell the truth,
Just wasn’t worth it to my tongue – 
Its praises I would not have sung.

So now I’ll stick to herbal tea
Or Gatorade until I see
That I am back and in the clear
To sip my coffee and my beer.

drinkrhyme

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Maurice Rigoler

January 23, 2025 at 6:44 PM

As a teen I was a soda guzzler – Coke, 7-Up, Ginger Ale (it's still my favorite but the non-sweet version) especially when hit with stomach issues. Other than Ginger Ale these days I stick to red wine (a small glass before a meal or a small white German Moselle for pleasure.) And lots of water and green tea – my doctor's recommendations. / Maurice

Zyrool Gifford

January 23, 2025 at 9:46 AM

Hello Ilene, this is a lovely piece and an enjoyable read. Loved the rhyming too. The saying mother knows best is so true. I must admit I do like ginger beer, so I make my own. Stay Blessed my friend.