I’m a Fan

Who doesn't love ice cream?
I'm sure there are some,
but I don't think I've ever met anyone
who hates ice cream.
I mean, what's there to hate?
It's almost etched into our DNA.
It's one of the first delicious foods
our mothers fed us.
Sweet and yummy,
easy for babies to swallow,
with the added cold to ease teething gums.

As kids, it was a sure sign
summer was on its way
when the Ice Cream Man
rolled down the street.
The tinkling music
had us running like Pavlov's dogs,
begging money from our mother's
for our favorite treat.

Ice cream is comfort
when you're feeling low,
especially eaten straight from the container.
I've seen cruise vlogs 
where ships are praised or condemned
on the basis of whether or not
they have free access to soft serve ice cream.
Now, I've never had soft serve ice cream
on a cruise ship,
(When I'm cruising it's more
a margarita vibe, than ice cream,for me)
so I can't speak to how important
it is for others,
but I do get it.

There's a time and a place
when ice cream makes
the whole world just a little bit better.
For me, it's that first warm spring day,
when the sun is shining
and all the flowers seem to bloom at once.
I want to go to Carvel,
get large vanilla cone
and feel like a kid again.

You have to stop and eat it right away—
especially on a warm, sunny day.
I slowly swirl my tongue around,
smoothing out the waves of bliss
that came from the machine.
I take my time,
but not too much time, 
because soft serve waits for no one,
and I don't want that sticky sweetness
dripping down on my hand.
But if a drop or two escapes,
I'll happily lick it from my fingers.
It makes me feel life is good,
at least for the time it takes
to take joy in an ice cream cone.
Yeah, I guess you can say
I'm a fan.

Elise Skidmore ©2026

Author’s note: Carvel is an American ice cream franchise and is best known for its soft-serve ice cream and ice cream cakes, which feature a layer of distinctive “crunchies”.