The Sweets of Youth

Time was I liked a cheesecake well enough--
All human children have a sweetish taste;
I used to revel in a pie, or puff;
Or tart--we all were Tartars in our youth
To meet with jam or jelly was good luck,
All candies most complacently I crumped,
A stick of liquorice was good to suck,
And sugar was as often liked as lumped!
On treacle's "linkèd sweetness long drawn out,"
Or honey I could feast like any fly;
I thrilled when lollipops were hawked about;
How pleased to compass hard-bake or bull's-eye;
How charmed if Fortune in my power cast
Elecampane--but that campaign is past.