The Honeysuckle and the Bee

I bought a honeysuckle plant.  I can never see honeysuckle flowers without hearing my Nanna singing the 'Honeysuckle Song'.  She first sang it to me when I was about three, and, like many things learnt from an early age, I have always taken the words without reflection.  But recently I thought about them as I sang, and, well, Nanna, they really are delightful, although rather saucy for my picture of the 1920's!*

She sang only the chorus to me:

You are my honey, honeysuckle, I am the bee,
I'd like to sip the honey sweet from those red lips I see
I love you dearly, dearly, and I hope that you love me
You are my honey, honeysuckle, I am the bee.



Here's the whole song.

THE HONEYSUCKLE AND THE BEE


On a summer afternoon
Where the honeysuckle bloom
When all nature seemed at rest
‘Neath a little rustic bow'r
‘Mid the perfume of the flow'r
A maiden sat with one she loved the best
As they sang the songs of love
From the arbour just above
Came a bee, which lit upon the vine
As it sipped the honey dew
They both vowed they would be true
Then he whispered to her words she thought divine.

Chorus:

You are my honey, honeysuckle, I am the bee
I'd like to sip the honey sweet from those red lips, you see
I love you dearly, dearly, and I want you to love me
You are my honey, honeysuckle, I am the bee.

So beneath the sky so blue
These two lovers fond and true
With their hearts so filled with bliss
As they sat there side by side
He asked her to be his bride
She answered, “Yes” and sealed it with a kiss
For her heart had yielded soon
'Neath the honeysuckle bloom
And thro' life they'd wander day by day
And he vowed just like the bee
I will build a home for thee
And the bee then seemed to answer them and say...

(Chorus)

Here's a small watercolour portrait I recently painted of my Nanna. This was from an old photo taken when she was about 19 and not yet married to my Poppa.

* Actually it was written in 1901 - possibly her mother sang it to her!