Five Kisses by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The poem explores the theme of love and its various forms. It describes five kisses: the kiss of infancy, the kiss of friendship, the kiss of affection, the kiss of passion, and the kiss of death. Each kiss is portrayed as a unique experience that evokes different emotions and sensations. The poem suggests that each kiss has its own significance and beauty, and that they are all essential to human experience.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1889 · Genre: Poetry, Romance, Domestic Fiction · 833 words
First lines
THE MOTHER'S KISS I
Love breathed a secret to her listening heart, / And said "Be silent. " Though she guarded it, / And dwelt as one within a world apart, / Yet sun and star seemed by that secret lit. / And where she passed, each whispering wind ablow, / And every little blossom in the sod, / Called joyously to her, "We know, we know, / For are we not the intimates of God? " / Life grew so radiant, and so opulent, / That when her fragile body and her brain / By mortal throes of agony were rent, / She felt a curious rapture in her pain. / Then, after anguish, came the supreme bliss- / They brought the little baby, for her kiss!
THE BETROTHAL II
What this Textopian page supports
Five Kisses is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1889 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romance, Domestic Fiction, Philosophical Fiction, Historical Fiction
- Length: 833 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Five Kisses by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Romance — The central theme revolves around different stages of romantic love and relationships.
- Domestic Fiction — The narrative explores intimate moments within the domestic sphere, focusing on family life and marriage.
- Philosophical Fiction — The text delves into existential themes and the meaning of life, love, and death.
Tags
Romance · Poetry · Love · Kisses · Sensuality · Intimacy · Passion · Desire · Longing · Yearning · Tenderness · Affection