by Cheryl, Gulf Coast Poet

Fresh Apple Cider

Photo by Louis Sankey from Unsplash.

Warning: Slightly “Gross” and Disgusting!

It was the “sixties” and I had just entered my teens. My somewhat older peers were becoming “hippies,” “turning on and dropping out,”marching for civil rights, and burning their draft cards. I remember causing quite a stir on the school bus with my newly self-inflicted “Beatles haircut,” and was clandestinely reading my cousin’s Mad Magazine, learning guitar chords, singing Joan Baez songs, and telling “knock-knock”and disgusting “green hair” jokes with my friends.

My uncle, who had served in World War II in Europe, described, with his usual drama, people making cider by pressing apples through straw. He thought that was pretty unsanitary. Inspired, I wrote this cheery little song to “gross out” my brother and sister and our friends and to annoy our parents.

After a frustrating week with no internet, I am posting this little ditty I wrote in high school. You have been warned!

I will be trying to catch up on my emails, and I look forward to reading your blogs. ❤

Photo by Liana Micah from Unsplash.

Fresh Apple Cider

Fresh apple cider

just squeezed from rotten apples

by the chicken coop on the hill.

The worms relayed the message:

Make the cider free..

a nickel for the jug!

Copyright© 2023 by Cheryl Batavia

Photo by Averie Woodard from Unsplash.

58 Comments

  10. Oh, the good old days Cheryl, and I used to drink a bit of apple cider then, but I seem to have lost the taste for it… Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc … and in Australia we had the Easybeats and Masters Apprentices …

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  11. I can remember (though not willingly) way grosser stuff from my early teens. What is it about those years that makes gross hilarious. I rolled my eyes at my granddaughter’s poop jokes a couple years ago. Hopefully she’s grown out of that. We’ll see….

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    1. JoAnna, your comment made me wonder about your thought-provoking question, “What is it about those years that makes gross hilarious?” This is a question I had never considered. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. ❤

      I think it may be part of finding independence, about testing boundaries and societal norms. I think it may also be part of establishing the culture of your generation, like styles of clothing, dances, and music. I feel like there may be something else I am missing here. 🙂

      I would be interested in your thoughts on the question. All the best to your granddaughter!

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  16. Haha nice poem and the backstory was so interesting, Cheryl! It felt like I was reading a novel. Brilliant writing skills and I’m a little jealous of you, you got to live in the 60’s, through beatlemania! Must’ve been a memorable time to say the least!! I’m glad your internet is back. 😁

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    1. I am so happy you enjoyed the post, Jay! Thank you for your delightful comment! I still like to listen to the Beatles occasionally. What brilliant poets! I think my favorite is “Imagine” by John Lennon. Of course, when I was very young, I really liked, “I Wanna Hold Your Hand!”

      Have a great weekend! ❤

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      1. Have a great one yourself, dear Cheryl. 💖

        Ps: My favorite beatle is John Lennon too and ‘Imagine’ is definelty comes in the list of my favorite songs of all time.

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  18. This is such a fun and creative throwback, Cheryl 💗 Your uncle’s story about cider-making definitely sounds unsanitary, but it’s great that you took that inspiration and used it to write this little song.
    I hope you’re able to catch up on your emails soon!

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    1. I am delighted that you enjoyed the post, Ritish! Thank you so much for the wishes about my emails. I am blogging today as roofers hammer overhead! It is a busy day here. I may make my escape to the grocery store for a while. 🙂

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  21. Thank you, Dwight, for your delightful remarks! ❤ Don't pretend that you were never mischievous at that age, though I am having fun trying to envision what you might have done! 🙂 Did you draw funny pictures of your teachers or write limericks about them?

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    1. Funny! I was pretty mild growing up. Worked on the farm summers during my teen years, so not much time to get into trouble! I did have my moments with a friend who was a year older than me. He got me into a few things I should not have been doing. No poetry or limericks back then.

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  24. Interesting poem, Cheryl!

    My syllabus of “Contemporary World: upto 1945” highlights the point
    Second World War & the New Political Order: From European to Global War : origins, nature and results of the war.

    From your post I got to know that
    “My uncle, who had served in World War II in Europe, described, with his usual drama, people making cider by pressing apples through straw. ”
    This is something I got to know out of the books.

    I consider this as the soldiers were concerned about the apples also, and not just the war.

    My parents are born and brought up after 70s. Maybe my grandparents have something to share about their local life.
    Because Information Technology revolution is new here.
    They were not informed of what was happening in the world, or even their nation, at that time.

    Thank you for sharing.
    Have a great weekend!
    I like going for regular walks.

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    1. While you have the opportunity, Lokesh, I think it would be great to record your grandparents’ and parents’ early memories. I wish I had written down what my grandparents told me about the times they lived in. You too, have a great week! ❤

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