Thursday, February 13, 2014

Five for Friday: Kissing Time


Valentine's Day card, circa 1910

DISCLAIMER:  This post is not for children.  Particularly if you are my children, I promise you WILL be grossed out, so stop reading here.
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Happy Valentine's Day!

Back when I was single, Valentine's Day rarely lived up to expectations.  What, for me, was a day to be dreaded, mocked, or secretly fantasized about, I realize now, should never have been taken so seriously.  That is, unless you happen to have a fetish for pagan party life.

Lupercalia Festival, Artist Unknown
From NationalGeographic.com:

"The lovers' holiday traces its roots to raucous annual Roman festivals where men stripped naked, grabbed goat- or dog-skin whips, and spanked young maidens in hopes of increasing their fertility," said classics professor Noel Lenski of the University of Colorado at Boulder."

Whoa.  Bet you didn't know that!  And if you're into that kind of thing... ?  Well, I don't need to know, thanks anyway.

Nowadays, Valentine's Day is driven less by whips, and more by retailers, but I still would like to support the heart, if not the history, of the occasion.  I prefer to think of this day as being set aside to express our appreciation for all the special ones in our lives... not just the ones who bring home flowers and chocolate.  This can be done simply with a hug, a kiss, a note, a few extra minutes, a rub behind the ears, or maybe just a "thank you" that we didn't forget to say.

That's why, for today's Five for Friday party, I would like to thank the whole Poetry Friday community by sharing kisses-- smooches and smacks, pecks and puckers, snuggles and squeezes.  Think of it as a spin-the-bottle block party!  To join in, please describe a kiss of any kind by using five words or less (plus title if you like) and leave it in the comments.  I will then move them here so we can all enjoy the Valentine amour together.

I also hope you will show Linda Baie some love for hosting today's Poetry Friday roundup.  You can find her at TeacherDance.

http://www.hdpaperwall.com/first-kiss/


BABY'S FIRST KISS

butterfly's
touch
softly
lingers



WHEN-YOU'RE-SICK-KISS

cool rain
on fever-drenched
forehead

-Irene Latham, Live Your Poem 


Your heartbeat
against my cheek.

-Doraine Bennett, Dori Reads


Grandson,
hand on face
waves to me,
grins-
blowing a kiss!

-Linda Baie, TeacherDance
(Yes, I'm letting her get away with 5 lines instead of 5 words. Wouldn't you?)


YOURS:

minty, soft, tender, loving

-George Heidenrich


MINE:

hungry, eager a little tongue --

-George Heidenrich


MEMORY OF A FIRST KISS

Behind school
he hummed,
smooched.

-Buffy Silverman, Buffy's Blog


she butts my head
with hers
feline affection

-Liz, Elizabeth Steinglass: poet


2ND GRADE LOVERS, 1972

I get in line in front
of Leo and his 'fro.
On the stairs the class pauses.
I tip my head back as far
as it will go. Leo
drops a juicy kiss
right between my eyebrows.
We continue to the Music room
where we sing
"The child is black;
the child is white..."

-Heidi Mordhorst, my juicy little universe
(For this, I will give her all the lines and words she needs!)


CAT KISS

Instant
laugh
bonus
facial
exfoliation.

-Diane Mayr, Random Noodling


Scene...
Argument...
Must not kiss....

-Larry Zelig Nehring


TALL/SHORT SMOOCH

                                                              Standing

      On
                Steps
                      Is
                                  Easier

-Keri Collins Lewis, Keri Recommends


BEARABLE

furry snout
berry breath
growl

-Mr. Cornelius, Jama's Alphabet Soup


Your
soul's breath
resting upon mine.

-Myra Garces Bacsal, Gathering Books


FIRST KISS

Lips part
chewing his
gum.

-Bridget Magee, wee words for wee ones


CHOCOLATE KISSES

I melt
as our
lips meet.

-Catherine, Reading to the Core


YOUR KISS

lingers
in
my
memory

-Mary Lee Hahn, A Year of Reading


Eskimo,
Butterfly -
No lips
Kisses!

-Donna Smith, Mainely Write 


FIRST KISS

Head
on
shoulder
till
he
gets
the
hint.

-Carmela Martino, Teaching Authors


ETERNAL KISS

tearful
last moment
forever goodbye

-Cathy Mere, Merely Day By Day



50 comments:

  1. Hi Michelle - love me some kissing! Smooch back at you, poetry friend. Unfortunately we've had sick children all week:

    When-You're-Sick-Kiss

    cool rain
    on fever-drenched
    forehead

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for sharing this tender 5-word kiss, Irene! I hope your children are feeling much better soon.

      Delete
  2. Your heartbeat
    against my cheek.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Interesting history, Michelle... I can see why you wanted the kids to stop reading! Love your kiss idea, will return all day to see what happens! Here's mine!

    Grandson,
    hand on face
    waves to me,
    grins-
    blowing a kiss!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oops, that's what I get for "not" reading directions! Please don't tell my students!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Loved this little kisses -- a great reminder that love comes in many forms, from many places. Maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll get a rare kiss from Sammy the Schnauzer today.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That sounds like a rare treat indeed. I would like a kiss from that chocolate cake you baked yesterday!

      Delete
    2. I bet you can come up with five words about Sammy....?

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. Minty sweet little ditty, Pops. I don't suppose you want me to post the one on FB too...? ;)

      Delete
  7. Mine: hungry, eager a little tongue --

    Oops, may have grossed out MY kids :-P

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You do realize your grandkids subscribe to this blog...? I guess they can't say they weren't warned.

      Delete
  8. Memory of a First Kiss

    Behind school
    he hummed,
    smooched.

    ReplyDelete
  9. she butts my head
    with hers
    feline affection

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hee hee spin-the-bottle block party! I need more than five words and more than five lines, too.

    2nd Grade Lovers, 1972

    I get in line in front
    of Leo and his 'fro.
    On the stairs the class pauses.
    I tip my head back as far
    as it will go. Leo
    drops a juicy kiss
    right between my eyebrows.
    We continue to the Music room
    where we sing
    "The child is black;
    the child is white..."

    Heidi Mordhorst 2014

    ReplyDelete
  11. Cat Kiss

    Instant
    laugh
    bonus
    facial
    exfoliation.

    I like the head butts, too, as Liz has already pointed out!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nothing like a sandpaper tongue spa treatment! I had a cat once who used to wake me up each morning by licking my eyelids.

      Delete
  12. This was fun! I loved the ones you shared...and the ones they inspired in the comments.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Scene...
    Argument...
    Must not kiss....

    ReplyDelete
  14. Such fabulous variety! As always, Diane makes me laugh out loud.

    Here is mine, in honor of my 6'5" husband, who loves 5'2" me!

    Tall/Short Smooch

    Standing

    On
    Steps
    Is
    Easier

    (I have the words staggered like steps but I don't think the comment box likes it!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I took a stab at staggering the words the way you want them, Keri, but I'm not sure how successful I was. It's a great little(/big) ditty! Please let me know how to make it just the way you envisioned.

      Delete
    2. It's perfect! Thanks! ;-) And, I'm very jealous that you got a kiss from Mr. Cornelius!

      Delete
  15. Bearable

    furry snout
    berry breath
    growl

    Yours truly,
    Mr. Cornelius
    xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Be still my heart! I got a Valentine's kiss from Mr. Cornelius!!!!! I think I'm in berry breath heaven. :)

      Delete
  16. Your
    soul's breath
    resting upon mine.

    Happy Valentine's Day Michelle! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy Valentine's Day, Michelle! Thanks for spreading the love...and kisses today!

    First Kiss

    Lips part
    chewing his
    gum.

    ReplyDelete
  18. What fun! Hope you had a lovely Valentine's Day!

    Chocolate Kisses

    I melt
    as our
    lips meet.

    Catherine

    ReplyDelete
  19. Replies
    1. With the winter we've been having, I bet there are a whole lot of people kissing this way!

      Delete
  20. Love these, Michelle! I also did not know the unusual origins of Valentine's Day...

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wow, a kiss from Mr. Cornelius! You really have had a lot of kisses, Michelle!

    ReplyDelete
  22. What a fun post, Michelle.
    Here's what I came up with--couldn't find a way to express it in only 5 words, though:

    First Kiss

    Head
    on
    shoulder
    till
    he
    gets
    the
    hint.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, that five word limit can definitely be a challenge. So glad you joined in though, Carmela!

      Delete
  23. Michelle,
    I enjoyed reading everyone's contributions. What an interesting idea. I thought I'd give it a try. I don't think I've quite found the words for saying goodbye to a loved one.

    Cathy


    Eternal Kiss

    tearful
    last moment
    forever goodbye

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A difficult moment to put into words, for sure, but this is lovely, Cathy.

      Delete