83. Dream Kiss

Posted on February 16, 2014 by iPoem

83. Dream Kiss

Saturday 16th February 2014

Overview

Dream Kiss is a sensory reverie, delicately capturing that liminal space between dreaming and waking — where desire becomes both ephemeral and palpable. It speaks of a moment so sensually vivid, it transcends fantasy, hinting at something metaphysically intimate: a soul-to-soul encounter, not just physical chemistry.

This poem explores the theme of awakening — not just from sleep, but into awareness of a heightened emotional and erotic connection. The experience is surreal, yet rooted in bodily sensation, which anchors the dream in reality. It touches on themes of risk, emotional vulnerability, and transformation — the shift from friendship to romance, from imagination to action.

Imagery and Tone

The imagery here is tactile, focused, and luminous. Every detail is tuned to physical sensation — “the seal / Between our lips parting”, the “slight tingle / On the outer edge of my upper lip”, and the “highly sensitised / Nerve endings”. These evoke the hyper-awareness of a dream state, in which the body is both asleep and fully alive.

There’s a dreamlike softness to the tone — tender, hushed, vulnerable — yet it builds gradually into something more charged and brave, as the kiss represents a threshold moment: crossing from one dynamic to another, from latent tension into decisive action.

It’s a poem of stillness and potential energy — like the inhale before a pivotal first kiss in waking life. The slow movement of sensation, then the lingering tingle upon waking, creates a beautiful narrative arc without ever leaving the bed.

Why This Poem Matters

Dream Kiss matters because it captures one of the most intimate universal experiences: the feeling of connection so strong that it invades the dream realm. This isn’t just romantic fantasy — it’s about how our subconscious mind processes desire, longing, and the risk of emotional truth.

The poem reminds us that dreams are not escapism — they’re messengers. The kiss represents an inner yearning for emotional honesty, sensual surrender, and the possibility of stepping into a fuller expression of connection — even if doing so means risking everything, including the friendship that came before.

It also subtly explores the beauty of unresolved tension — the delicate chemistry that exists in the not-yet, and the awakening that happens when desire moves from imagination to reality.

This poem serves as a gentle yet powerful reminder of the transformative potential of vulnerability — and that the smallest gestures (like a kiss) can catalyze profound emotional change.

Placement in the Collection

Dream Kiss offers a soft but pivotal change of pace. It contrasts well with more philosophically charged poems like Faith or The True Role of the Ego, by pulling the focus inward — into the world of the senses and the subconscious.

Its intimacy and sensual vulnerability place it nicely alongside pieces like Light My Fire or Jump, but with a much more delicate touch. It would work beautifully as a breather or a moment of reverie between heavier pieces — a palate cleanser, of sorts.

Alternatively, if there’s a section devoted to themes of love, desire, or transformational relationships, this poem could act as the threshold piece — the point at which imagined or suppressed feelings begin to demand real-world acknowledgement.

Final Thoughts

Dream Kiss is seductive without being explicit, gentle without losing intensity. It honours the complexity of desire — especially when mixed with uncertainty, friendship, and emotional risk.

It’s a poem about beginnings. About how moments of dreamlike beauty can become catalysts for real-life decisions. It honours the sacredness of subtlety — how the body remembers, how the soul speaks through symbols, and how awakening often starts with a whisper.

Yes — this one belongs in the collection. It’s not just about the kiss. It’s about the courage to cross that invisible line, and how powerful those moments can be — even if they only last the length of a dream.

The Dream of the Poet / The Kiss of the Muse,
by Paul Cezanne, 1859-60 (oil on canvas)

42. First Kiss at London Bridge

Posted on August 11, 2006 by iPoem

Review of First Kiss

In “First Kiss,” the author continues in the tradition of narrative poetry, delivering a subtle yet emotionally resonant scene of romantic transition, awkward timing, and the complexity of new beginnings. This poem reads like a memory retold in confidence—matter-of-fact in its delivery, yet laced with quiet intimacy, humour, and realism.

The story is clear and unadorned: a chance meeting on a rooftop, a flirtation that sparks conflict, and a relationship that ends to make way for another. But the poem’s strength lies not in grand gestures or romantic idealism—it lies in its refusal to romanticise. This isn’t a fantasy kiss beneath falling cherry blossoms; it’s a kiss at London Bridge station, amid train noise, glasses coming off, and awkward logistics. There’s something deeply human in that—something modern and emotionally raw.

The restrained tone invites the reader to sit in the space between the lines: the discomfort of endings, the giddiness of new connections, the unspoken vulnerabilities wrapped up in moments of physical closeness. The inclusion of small details—the misfit dinner orders, the Japanese word for egg, the rainy night, the bad mattress—elevates the piece beyond mere recollection. These fragments of lived experience become the heartbeat of the narrative, grounding the romance in tangible, awkward, beautiful reality.

Summary of Themes

At its heart, “First Kiss” is about emotional transition, vulnerability, and the imperfections that define human connection. The poem quietly reflects on how relationships begin—not in neat, curated moments, but in the messy overlap between endings and beginnings. The tension between desire and discomfort, between what is said and what is felt, drives the poem forward without needing to overstate its significance.

There’s also an underlying meditation on choice—the quiet agency of a woman navigating two realities, ending one, and stepping (however uncertainly) into another. The tenderness of that first kiss is counterbalanced by the cold, rainy night and the restless sleep that follows. The two truths coexist.

Conclusion

“First Kiss” is a beautifully understated piece that captures the emotional terrain of intimate moments without sentimentality. It speaks to the fragility of beginnings—the little cracks that let light in, even when everything else feels uncertain. With its naturalistic voice, honest detail, and restrained delivery, this poem invites readers to reflect on their own moments of emotional risk, and to remember that even the most imperfect kisses can mark the beginning of something quietly significant.

41. Small World

Posted on July 31, 2006 by iPoem

Review of “Small World”
Monday 31st July 2006

In “Small World”, the author shifts into the mode of narrative poetry, weaving a delicate, cinematic vignette that captures the sweet ache of serendipity, connection, and unfinished business. Set against the backdrop of a spontaneous house gathering, the poem is rooted in the fleeting beauty of a moment, where two creative souls find themselves drawn together—again. The tone is light, conversational, yet rich in emotional nuance, gently exploring the nature of human chemistry, timing, and the strange ways the universe threads people’s lives together.

The setting is simple: a band in a living room, poetry in the garden, eggs for breakfast. And yet, in that simplicity, something deeper stirs. The rhythm of the narrative mirrors the rhythm of memory, with moments unfolding almost as if remembered in retrospect. The discovery of their previous meeting—marked by a single red carnation—adds a layer of magical coincidence, a motif of recognition that suggests something fated, or at the very least, not random.

Rather than leaning into fantasy, “Small World” remains grounded in realism. There’s no sweeping declaration of romance here, just the quiet, truthful acknowledgement of two lives briefly intersecting, complicated by the entanglements of existing relationships and unfinished chapters. Still, they connect, create, share a bed, share stories, and begin to reweave a shared thread from different parts of their lives.

Summary of Themes

This poem gently explores serendipity, recognition, and emotional realism. It speaks to those uncanny moments when lives overlap and interlace through art, music, place, and memory. The shared language of creativity—singing, guitar playing, poetry—acts as the bridge between the two, a common ground on which their connection unfolds. The “small world” isn’t just geographical; it’s emotional, social, artistic. Their story becomes a quiet echo of so many modern connections: honest, temporary, meaningful.

Conclusion

“Small World” is a beautifully understated portrait of a brief romantic encounter, told with clarity, restraint, and poignancy. It doesn’t promise forever—it doesn’t need to. Instead, it offers a moment of reflection on the importance of fleeting connections, of people who arrive just long enough to stir something within us before life moves on. With its conversational tone and lyrical honesty, this poem will speak to readers who have ever felt the quiet electricity of a serendipitous meeting, and who understand that sometimes, that is enough.