Honeysuckle

Did everyone in their childhood suck the nectar out of these? My grandmother was angry and teary eyed the summer we ate all of her flowers.

How do we find these things on our own? Why didn't we try to eat poisonous things? How did we know that rhubarb stolen from a neighbor's garden was good to suck on raw, or the pears from a neighbor's tree were excellent. Forbidden fruit? Were we taught these things before we were old enough to remember? 

To Earthward

by Robert Frost

Love at the lips was touch As sweet as I could bear; And once that seemed too much; I lived on air That crossed me from sweet things, The flow of- was it musk From hidden grapevine springs Down hill at dusk? I had the swirl and ache From sprays of honeysuckle That when they're gathered shake Dew on the knuckle. I craved strong sweets, but those Seemed strong when I was young; The petal of the rose It was that stung. Now no joy but lacks salt That is not dashed with pain And weariness and fault; I crave the stain Of tears, the aftermark Of almost too much love, The sweet of bitter bark And burning clove.  When stiff and sore and scarred I take away my hand From leaning on it hard In grass and sand, The hurt is not enough: I long for weight and strength To feel the earth as rough To all my length.