Un Baiser (meaning “a kiss”)

All in all, a poem without punctuation,  
a fist full of sky, 
a breath held for far too long,  
or perhaps a rose on fire—  
un baiser, as though half-moon,  
tattered,  
blue-purple clouds, reddening  
to say the least, 
scudding along the southeasterly wind. 

It is nothing short of a revolution, 
a riot in one’s chest, 
leaving the air heavy, the heart undone. 
It is the  
umami flavor  
of a grilled portobello mushroom, 
without which a dish feels incomplete. 

It is a collision of sorts, when concrete  
dreams drip 
and the traffic sings off-key— 
heat rising from the core, 
soft at first, then more insistent  
like a city that remembers 
how loud it is supposed to be. 

Un baiser, is as a double-edged sword, 
laying claim  
to more  
than what was bargained for, 
it is ice, so pure  
that it leaves a soft shiver on the face, 
a syllable that focuses on tone. 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credits: Pinterest

Loosely inspired from a French poem ‘Un Baiser’ by Edmond Rostand 🍅

Posted for Open Link Night #379 @dVerse Poets Pub

38 Responses

  1. Björn says:

    C’est la vie to be kissed like this… a complete meal with all the taste element you added.

  2. msjadeli says:

    Love that is a “riot in one’s chest” is never forgotten, even when it is long gone. Beautiful writing as always, Sanaa.

  3. A beautiful exploration of a kiss, Sanaa! Especially the lines:
    ‘… a poem without punctuation,
    a fist full of sky,
    a breath held for far too long,
    or perhaps a rose on fire’;
    ‘dreams drip
    and the traffic sings off-key’;
    and the appeal to all the senses, even taste!

  4. Mish says:

    You had me at “a fist full of sky”, Sanaa! Stunning, eclectic descriptions of a kiss. Love it.

  5. Ain 🌲🌲🌲 says:

    Amazed again…what lines—-

    *Un baiser, is as a double-edged sword,
    laying claim
    to more
    than what was bargained for,*

    Oh la la…comme on dit, à Paris!

    Fantastic tone to this verse, too.

  6. Candy says:

    *when concrete
    dreams drip
    and traffic sings off-key*
    love how you took such hard edged things and made them soft

  7. Ken Gierke says:

    A moment that lingers, and so artfully.

  8. Nolcha Fox says:

    A very tasty, sexy poem!

  9. Pink says:

    read it 3x. and yet, still crave more.

  10. Di says:

    Some gorgeous lines, i love when the traffic sings off key. Beautifully done.

  11. Dwight L. Roth says:

    Beautiful, Sanaa. I love this line…
    It is a collision of sorts, when concrete
    dreams drip
    and the traffic sings off-key—

  12. Deliciously told, Sanaa~

  13. “All in all, a poem without punctuation,
    a fist full of sky,”

    And this, “It is nothing short of a revolution,
    a riot in one’s chest,
    leaving the air heavy, the heart undone.”

    You wove magic with your words.

  14. brendan says:

    Marvelous manifesto on what a kiss — here given royal raiment as “un baiser” — thunders, sunders and surrenders. Great poem, Saani.

  15. I would quote a lne or two of this lovely poem Sanaa but I really can’t decide on any above any others…

  16. A perfect description of that special kiss. The one you. never, ever forget. You nailed it Sanaa! Exquisite writing as usual. ❤️☺️

  17. Sunra Rainz says:

    A beautiful sensory poem, Sanaa 🩷 I love the analogy of a kiss being like a rose on fire, or a double-edged sword, and these lines especially:

    “a fistful of sky”

    “It is nothing short of a revolution,
    a riot in one’s chest”

    “the traffic sings off-key”

    “like a city that remembers
    how loud it is supposed to be”

  18. paeansunplugged says:

    Wow, just wow, Sanaa! From the opening line to the closing one, it is gorgeous!💗💗

  19. grapeling says:

    sigh. so flavorful !

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