Kiss, baby, kiss! mothers’ lips shine by kisses; Choke the warm breath that else would fall in blessings; Black manhood comes, when turbulent guilty blisses Tend thee the kiss that poisons ’mid caressings. CHARLES LAMB. * * * * * Both our mouths went wandering in one way, And, aching sorely, met among the leaves; Our hands, being left behind, strained far away. WM. MORRIS: _Defence of Guinevere_. * * * * * I saw you kissing once: like a curved sword, That bites with all its edge, did your lips lie. WM. MORRIS: _Defence of Guinevere_. * * * * * And with a velvet lip print on his brow Such language as the tongue hath never spoken. MRS. SIGOURNEY. * * * * * There was a beam in that young mother’s eye, ’ Lit by the feelings that she could not speak, As from her lips a plaintive lullaby Stirred the bright tresses on her infant’s cheek; While now and then, with melting heart, she prest Soft kisses o’er its red and smiling lips,— Lips sweet as rosebuds in fresh beauty dressed Ere the young murmuring bee their honey sips. MRS. WELBY. * * * * * Oh, turn from me those radiant eyes, With love’s dark lightning beaming, Or veil the power that in them lies To set the young heart dreaming. ... What pity that thy lips of rose, So fitted for heart-healing, Should not with tenderest kisses close The wounds thine eyes are dealing! MOTHERWELL. * * * * * She tenderly kissed me, She fondly caressed, And then I fell gently To sleep on her breast— Deeply to sleep From the heaven of her breast. E. A. POE. * * * * * Oh, stay, Madonna! stay; ’Tis not the dawn of day That marks the skies with yonder opal streak; The stars in silence shine; Then press thy lips to mine, And rest upon my neck thy fervid cheek. MACAULAY. * * * * * A moment, and he saw her come,— That maiden, from her latticed home, With eyes all love, and lips apart, And faltering step, and beating heart, She came, and joined her cheek to his In one prolonged and rapturous kiss; And while it thrilled through heart and limb, The world was naught to her or him. PRAED. * * * * * Oh! Vidal’s very soul did weep Whene’er that music, like a charm, Brought back from their unlistening sleep The kissing lip and clasping arm. PRAED.