1. AMONG thy fancies tell me this: What is the thing we call a kiss? 2. I shall resolve ye what it is: It is a creature born and bred Between the lips all cherry red, By love and warm desires fed; And makes more soft the bridal bed. It is an active flame, that flies First to the babies of the eyes, And charms them there with lullabies; And stills the bride too when she cries. Then to the chin, the cheek, the ear, It frisks and flies, -- now here, now there; 'T is now far off, and then 't is near; And here, and there, and everywhere. 1. Has it a speaking virtue? -- 2. Yes. 1. How speaks it, say? -- 2. Do you but this: Part your joined lips, -- then speaks your kiss; And this love's sweetest language is. 1. Has it a body? -- 2. Ay, and wings, With thousand rare encolorings; And as it flies it gently sings; Love honey yields, but never stings. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FONTENOY, 1745: 1. BEFORE THE BATTLE: NIGHT by EMILY LAWLESS APRIL by OBADIAH CYRUS AURINGER A MISUNDERSTANDING (CONNEMARA) by JANE BARLOW ABER STATIONS: STATIO SEXTA by THOMAS EDWARD BROWN PARLEYINGS WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE OF IMPORTANCE: CHARLES AVISON by ROBERT BROWNING OBSERVATIONS IN THE ART OF ENGLISH POESY: 14. TROCHAIC VERSE: THE TENTH EPIGRAM by THOMAS CAMPION TOWARDS DEMOCRACY: PART 4. FROM CAVERNS DARK by EDWARD CARPENTER |