From crushed cane comes a liquid sweet and clear,
Boiled and filtered until it is pure,
Yielding a virgin powder, soft and white,
With crystals like snowflakes, like stars in the night.
Sugar takes foods to heavenly heights,
Fluffy pies, chocolate cakes, and caramel delights.
Like fairies that dance with frosted wings,
Sugar brings pleasure, happiness, and dreams.
But woe to those who desire too much,
For they fall into trouble, as from Midas’s touch.
What was driven by want is now forced by need.
What was given from love is now hoarded in greed.
What once satisfied the heart now takes from the soul;
What once brought love, now leaves the heart cold.
With fury the body fights this dark force,
Yet little can be done to stave off its cursed course.
The blood floods with sugar that rises to new heights,
The heart becomes swollen; the liver creamy white.
The teeth, once white, are rotten and stained,
The kidneys are dusky, shriveled, and inflamed.
Blood vessels are fatty, and may close off or burst,
Causing weakness, paralysis, dementia, or worse.
And Cupid’s honeyed arrow that brought love and romance,
Now pierces the heart with a sugar-tipped lance.
Oh Sugar, my love, you must let me go,
And let me recover my heart and my soul.
The sweet pain you gave me can no longer stay;
Please give me the strength to turn you away.
The sweetness of your lips I will forever adore,
But to live my life, I need my health once more.