February 4th - Honeyed Word
Honeyed Word
In our quest to understand the natural world and the interconnected web of coevolution, we've had to invent a lot of new words. Words like phloem and xylem, photosynthesis and stymen, amanita poisoning and phyto-photo-dermatitus. But "honey" deserves an older, more profound word for the unexplainable awe it inspires. Honey is magic. And it's not just that it tastes like a million flowers blooming in the fields, it's the scent of playful ions - nature at its most sanguine creative resistance - attraction and memory as old as plant courtship with insects. It is the substance largely responsible for our large human brains and yet we treat it in English to a cute, two syllable, soft palette moan. And I'm not saying that it shouldn't be all vowelly like a summer wind, but maybe give it a little more prominence in its providence. Maybe use the Hawaiian alphabet and give it the full 13 letter treatment. What was the first word for honey? I bet it was spoken with spiritual wonder.