by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
A Dialogue on a Kiss
Language: English
She: Among thy fancies tell me this, what is the thing we call a kiss? He: I shall resolve you what it is: it is a creature born and bred betwixt the lips all cherry red, by love and warm desires fed. Both: And makes more sweet the bridal bed. It is an active flame that flies first to the babies of the eyes, and charms it there with lullabyes. And stills the bride too when she cries. Then to the chin, the cheek, the ear it frisks, it flies, now here, now there. 'Tis now far off, and now 'tis near: 'tis here and there and ev'rywhere. She: Has it a voicing virtue? He: Yes. She: How speaks it then? He: Do you but this, part your join'd lips, then speak the kiss. Both: And this Love's sweetest language is. She: Has it a body? He: Aye, and wings with thousand various colourings. Both: And as it flies it sweetly sings, Love honey yields but never stings.
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Henry Lawes (c1595 - 1662), "A Dialogue on a Kiss" [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2010-01-16
Line count: 37
Word count: 168