Your Lips

A short love poem

Perhaps you've not caught me watching your lips,

But I know them well.

With admiring eyes I have mapped them:

Shape, contour, texture.

At times I am entranced

To discover their rare likeness

On an imposter.

Across a restaurant

I spy a woman using your lips

To laugh with friends.

In close-up, an actress,

Borrowing your lips to smile,

Seduces me and millions.

Perhaps you've not caught me

Committing your lips to memory.

But when I find the courage

To ask if I may kiss them,

I know precisely how they will move

If you say Yes.

Reviews

[W. Barrett Munn]

Hey, K,

Talent drippeth from thy nails. This is an excellent idea wonderfully presented. Congratulations again.
W.

[Richard Knox]

Thank you very much, W! It's interesting what captures our attention, isn't it?

[W. Barrett Munn]

Simple and detailed is where it’s at

[Lisasview]

Hi Richard,
Checking to see if there is anything new from you that I have not yet read... There is not so I reread this one of your and it again gave me chills..
Lisa, early in Spain

[Richard Knox]

Good morning, Lisa,
Sorry I haven’t posted anything new yet. Still busy here with guests, so my writing must take a backseat. When Aura reviewed this poem she thought at first that it could be a little bit creepy — sort of stalker-ish. I hope that’s not why it’s giving you chills.

[Lisasview]

Yes, I remembered that you had guests...but I still looked.
Creepy no that is not why I got chills, funny what one takes from a poem... It is just that really trying to remember details of ones face brought back memories of my father (died at the age of 96) and that when I say him (he lived in New York) and, he was talking (which he always was doing) I focused on his face hoping to remember every detail about it..so chills.. good chills..
Lisa

[Richard Knox]

Good chills, indeed. Have a pleasant evening.

[Robert Haigh]

Lips are both sensual and sensuous - or at least they can be when they belong to a woman we may be attracted to. I like the way that you have written this poem, with passion, but also good taste. Nice one!

[Richard Knox]

Thank you, Robert. I appreciate your comments.

[lightsong]

I like the man who pay attention to details, details that make us unique and different from the rest. You made me smile with your third and fourth verses, no one can be her or imitate her. You seem to be both smart and passionate. Great quality of a man :> enjoyed reading this too, thank You~

[Richard Knox]

Thank you, Lightsong. I’m glad you enjoyed the poem, and thank you for the compliments.

[Samuel Dickens]

Would stealing that kiss be out of the question? This just oozes passion. Great work!

[Richard Knox]

Thank you, Samuel. Wouldn’t a kiss freely returned be far more satisfying and meaningful?

[Samuel Dickens]

Ohhhh... you're right.

[The Things She Noted]

I love the sultry tone of this piece, the way you attribute her smile to others, as though she’s the only one you see. Such romantic and lovely sentiment in your words.

[Richard Knox]

Thank you for your kind comments. Truly appreciated.

[Jojo]

ahh this was so beautiful! So innocent yet so sensual and sultry. It is only the eyes of a lover that could capture such sentiment into pure simple words.

[Richard Knox]

Thank you, Jojo! Your comments are truly appreciated!

[sonnie ibadah]

I just stumbled upon this and I must say, though unexpected, I really enjoyed this. It's both sensual, romantic and something else I can't put into words. Loved this!

[Richard Knox]

Thank you, Sonnie. I’m glad you liked it.

[Aura]

Really good poem. You really observed these lips, seemed to imagine them on different people as well. You even know how they'd move if she said yes to your question of asking to kiss them. It has a romantic and a somewhat creepy( sorry!) vibe to it which I don't think was intended but if I knew someone who looked at my lips like that .... um well I'd be creeped out. Were these two people romantically involved? I wouldn't be as creeped out if they were. Still I enjoyed reading this poem, liked how you described her lips, almost obsessive but not quite!

[Richard Knox]

Ha! Thank you, Aura. I can see how it might sound like a stalker is writing this. But it was a very close friendship that lasted for many years and was romantic (mutually, I assure you) but remained platonic. She was a beautiful woman, with many attributes that might inspire poetry, but I found her lips to be fascinating, and the muse led me there.

[Aura]

The pleasure is all mine! That is a beautiful topic for the poem. When I read it, it sounded almost stalker like, but now re-reading it, it sounds like you wrote this out of love and admiration for your friend.

[Richard Knox]

Yes, I did. I also gave her the poem, and she said she loved it.

[Aura]

That's lovely, I'm glad she loved it.

[Chris Shaw]

A study in lips. You have observed them well. Shape, contour, texture. However here, the lips are of someone much admired but not yet sampled intimately. That delight has yet to come, but requires courage. A love poem with a difference. I wonder if there is a sequel to this, or maybe it was just a passing fantasy. Nicely composed work Richard.

Chris

[Richard Knox]

Thank you, Chris. Sadly, I did not find the courage before circumstance separated us. No sequel — at least not in real life. Perhaps in the fantasy of a future poem.