Skip to content
Linespedia

The Kiss: A Dialogue

By Robert Herrick

Topics: classic

Among thy fancies, tell me this, What is the thing we call a kiss? 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, CHOR.    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, CHOR.    And stills the bride, too, when she cries. Then to the chin, the cheek, the ear, It frisks and flies, now here, now there: 'Tis now far off, and then 'tis near, CHOR.    And here, and there, and every where. Has it a speaking virtue?     Yes. How speaks it, say?     Do you but this, Part your join'd lips, then speaks your kiss; CHOR.    And this Love's sweetest language is. Has it a body?     Ay, and wings, With thousand rare encolourings; And as it flies, it gently sings CHOR.    Love honey yields, but never stings.

AI analysis available. Enable JavaScript to interact.

About this line

"Among thy fancies, tell me this,..."

Exploring the themes of classic, Robert Herrick delivers a powerful performance in "The Kiss: A Dialogue"... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

Attribution & Rights

Author:Robert Herrick

"Among thy fancies, tell me this,..." by Robert Herrick

For usage rights, copyright concerns, or to report an issue with this content, please visit our Copyright & Report page.

Related lines

"I freeze, I freeze, and nothing dwells     In me but snow and icicles.     For pity's sake, give your advice,     To melt this snow and thaw th"

"Kings must be dauntless; subjects will contemn     Those who want hearts and wear a diadem."

"And, cruel maid, because I see You scornful of my love, and me, I'll trouble you no more, but go My way, where you shall never know What is become"

"For thirty years Tubbs has been proud and poor;     'Tis now his habit, which he can't give o'er."

"Here morning in the ploughman's songs is met     Ere yet one footstep shows in all the sky,     And twilight in the east, a doubt as yet,     S"

"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

Robert Herrick

About Robert Herrick

Robert Herrick (1591–1674) was an English Cavalier poet whose "Hesperides" (1648) contains over 1,200 poems. His carpe diem verse "To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" ("Gather ye rosebuds while ye may") and lyric poems celebrate love, beauty, and the passing of time.

Full Bibliography
Continue Reading

"I freeze, I freeze, and nothing dwells     In me b..."

Weekly Poetic Insight

Join our literary Sanctuary

Get the most inspiring lines, poetic analysis, and secret shayaris delivered to your inbox every Sunday.