Wednesday, November 26, 2008

211. Sasparilla





SASPARILLA!

Sasparilla's been a word that's always fascinated!
Although I hear that, now, the concept's really rather dated.
*
Growing up in England, I heard this Yanky word,
And I thought it was the most romantic name I'd ever heard!
I was drinking lemon juice or something else quite boring,
While, over in America, the populace was pouring
This wildly stimulating drink down each and every throat!
Oh how I longed to pack my bags and get on the next boat!
*
The very word rolls off the tongue in a manner so exotic!
Surely it held ingredients quite dangerously hypnotic!
Picture a grey mid-winter's day in  a little British town
There's 'Rinkly' thinking of the drink, longing to gulp it down;
To be whisked away to join the Sasparilla devotees,
Lounging in gay abandon underneath strange foreign trees!
*
With President Roosevelt looking manly standing at the tiller
Easing his tension with a handy glass of Sasparilla!
With a young girl on a skyscraper wrestling a gorilla,
And winning easily every time she sipped some Sasparilla!
With Raymond Chandler writing books, possibly a thriller,
Getting inspiration from a glass of Sasparilla!
With Al Capone, a Mafia lad, but an efficient killer,
Demanding his favourite sustenance, gin and Sasparilla!
*
What an exciting life they led on the other side of the ocean!
Merely thinking of it now fills me with deep emotion!
Please write and tell me (making sure,of course, that it's the truth!)
How Sasparilla brought a reckless element to your youth!
*

25 comments:

MumbaiiteAnu said...

Nice rhyming poem about Sasparilla.

I'm learning something new this week, I never heard of it.
Have a great week.

Rambling Woods said...

Great idea..I haven't heard that word since I was a kid..

ABC Post

Word Tosser said...

SASPARILLA! oh, this brings back memories of long ago.... on days of haying. Throwing that hay on the truck, my brother and I on top, stomping it down... and finally getting off the stack on the truck, going under the tree..drinking SASPARILLA! oh, I can almost remember the taste. And no it did not taste like root beer as some say.
That was in Rhode Island...1950ish, must be a East Coast thing as I have not seen it out here in the west..in Idaho where I now live.

Jane Hards Photography said...

I agree with you about growing up in the uk and hearing this word- especially in books. Never tatsed it. Fascinating write up.

photowannabe said...

When I was young there was a saloon in an Old West Ghost Town that used to sell Sasparilla. We used to sit at the bar and drink it and think we were really "hot" stuff...
Haven't thought of that in a long time.

Anonymous said...

I have had to wait a long time to actually see a bottle of that beverage that always caused raised eyebrow in the Roy Rogers Westerns, et al.

Rune Eide said...

Coming from where I come, I don't even now what it is!

Bear Naked said...

When I was growing up I heard that word but I can truthfully say I never have tasted it.

Bear((( )))

Pat said...

Never tried this, but would. And it's spelled (even on the label you show) "saRsaparilla!"

Check out my blog to see why my "street art" is in English, not Serbian...although of course it was photographed in Belgrade...

Rose said...

What a clever rhyme, Brenda! I'm an American, and I've never drunk sasparilla. But the cowboys in the old Westerns of my youth were always ordering a sasparilla in the saloon. I always wondered what it tasted like:)

Anonymous said...

Ha! I used to think the same!! And 'root beer' sounded so exotic too! I was convinced it would be delightful ... sadly, the truth is, it's pretty foul. LOL!

Dragonstar said...

Sasparilla! I first heard of it in the TV cowboy show "Tenderfoot". I still don't know exactly what it is!

On behalf of the ABC team, thanks for your continued participation.

Kat said...

You've really stirred a hornet's nest, with Sasparilla!

Read with so much of interest about this heavenly drink.

I notice that people in US and other parts of the world drink iced tea or coke or some juice along with their food.

And they were puzzled when I don't drink such matters, with food -except for some sips of water to hammer down food that refused to go in..!!!

My Mom has told that I shouldn't drink anything while having food. Very obedient :))))

Judie said...

Hahahaha! I just adore this post! What a clever poem! Brava!

ellen b said...

Love your rhyme! I'm sad to say that I never entered this sasparella world even though I've lived here all my life. My family were immigrants that had any type of soda quite rarely...

Unknown said...

What a fiun poem! I remember hearing about sasprilla in a movie about Stuart Little. He stopped at a drug store while out on a drive and ordrered it.

Esther Joy said...

I've only had sasparilla a time or two, but heard of it quite often from my husband's family - so maybe it originated in the Ozarks? If I remember right, I think it tasted like root beer. It is for sale in quite a few of the souvenir shops around here. Your writing showed so much imagination and made me SMILE!

Annesphamily said...

A refreshing thirst quencher. I remember seeing it in the western movies. I knew it was an American treat but your poetry is simply smashing! I love it and am glad I came to visit. Have a wonderful weekend. Anne

My name is Riet said...

Oh yes Sasparilla, I know and I know te feeling. That was something we didn't know and sounded so interesting. It made me want to go theretoo. LOL
Great S word.
Riet

Francisca said...

I've heard the word, and it is one that rolls nicely on the tongue, but never had sasparilla.

Unknown said...

I've never had Sasparilla but I just love how the word feels when it's said :) I thought it was quite clever of you to write a poem about it! How fun!

Susan Anderson said...

Never had it, but my dad always said it tasted like root beer.

=)

Self Sagacity said...

So much to learn today. I can't believe it.
Double link-up, come join the conversations every Thursday and Post your questions on Thursday Two Questions Meme

Jenny said...

Such a fun word! We used to drink that as kids! I always thought it tasted a lot like rootbeer, too.

This was such a superb stop this week. Great memories and a great big smile!

Thanks for linking.

A+

EG CameraGirl said...

Ha! I think I could use a glass of Sasparilla! right NOW. :)