The Kiss by Robert Graves (1960)

Name: The Kiss
Author: Robert Graves

The poem explores the profound and often tumultuous nature of love, juxtaposing it with themes of death and existential reflection. It begins with an evocative inquiry into the sensations and emotions stirred by love, suggesting a deep, almost mystical connection that transcends time and reality. The imagery of a calm grey eye expanding to a vast sky symbolizes the overwhelming nature of love, while the clouds of hair represent the complexities and tumultuous aspects of romantic relationships. As the poem progresses, the act of kissing transforms into a duality of sensations—frost and fire—indicating the intense and conflicting emotions that love can evoke. The white-steaming mist serves as a metaphor for desire, which can obscure clarity and understanding in relationships. The reference to elemental forces—water, air, earth—suggests a return to fundamental truths, hinting at the cyclical nature of existence and the transient quality of love. The poem ultimately shifts from the romantic ideal to a stark realization that what is often perceived as love may be more akin to death. This stark contrast emphasizes the fleeting nature of passion and the inevitable solitude that follows its absence. The concluding lines reflect a sense of despair and resignation, portraying the human condition as one of isolation and longing, stripped of hope and vitality once love has faded. The work encapsulates the duality of love as both a life-affirming force and a harbinger of loneliness, leaving the reader to ponder the complexities of emotional connections and the transient nature of existence.

By Robert Graves · First published 1960 · Genre: Poetry, Romanticism, Existentialism · 195 words

First lines

Are you shaken, are you stirred By a whisper of love, Spellbound to a word Does Time cease to move, Till her calm grey eye Expands to a sky And the clouds of her hair Like storms go by?

Then the lips that you have kissed Turn to frost and fire, And a white-steaming mist Obscures desire: So back to their birth Fade water, air, earth, And the First Power moves Over void and dearth.

Is that Love? no, but Death, A passion, a shout, The deep in-breath, The breath roaring out, And once that is flown, You must lie alone, Without hope, without life, Poor flesh, sad bone.

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The Kiss is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Graves, dated 1960 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Robert Graves
Date: 1960 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Romanticism, Existentialism, Lyric, Symbolism
Length: 195 words
Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Genres

Poetry — The work is structured as a poem, utilizing rhythm, meter, and figurative language to convey emotions and themes.
Romanticism — The themes of love, desire, and existential reflection align with the characteristics of Romantic literature.
Existentialism — The exploration of love, death, and the human condition reflects existential themes.
Lyric — The personal expression of emotions and thoughts is characteristic of lyric poetry.