What’s in a kiss? #SoCS

This post was written in response to Linda G. Hill’s Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday

Today the mandate is: “what.” Start your post with the word “What.” Bonus points if the final word of your post starts with a “w.” Have fun!

What’s in a kiss? #SoCS

‘What’, led me to a song by Gilbert O’Sullivan, which only those born before 1980s will have even heard, called, What’s in a Kiss? (I’m leaving the link to the end of this post because I don’t want you going off and listening instead of reading my post!) The first lines go something like this:

What’s in a kiss?

Have you ever wondered just what it is?

More than just a moment of bliss,

Tell me, what’s in a kiss?

It makes me think of the importance of a kiss in real life and in a novel, and how difficult it is to describe a romantic, or passionate, kiss without using clichés, or being too specific or physiological.

We don’t touch each other very often, in public, and on the rare occasions we do touch other people, we usually make contact with their clothes. The only bodily parts which we touch, skin to skin are our hands, or occasionally our cheeks, usually in friendly kisses, devoid of sexual passion.

A passionate kiss, on the other hand, creates an intimate and private connection. Bodily fluids are shared, and parts of our body, which we normally don’t use to touch others, come into direct contact with another person.

The first kiss is an important moment in a literary relationship, where symbolism takes on extra meaning. The kiss may lead to more intimacy or desire, which also needs description.

The reader needs to know how the kissers feel before, during, and after the kiss, and what may happen next in their relationship, that doesn’t mean they have to be given a full physiological and psychological description; readers have plenty of imagination. As I learnt writing Flash Fiction, less is often more.

I am writing a historical family saga, which includes, sexual initiation, infidelity, prostitution, and even rape and sexual abuse, but the events are not explicitly described, because I didn’t think the reader needed detailed descriptions to realize the implications of the actions.

Nevertheless, as a reader, I don’t mind reading explicit descriptions, because in some cases, they add important information about the characters’ motivations and personality, but even so, I often think they are excessive and could easily have been reduced, without damaging the story.

As a reader or as a writer, how do you prefer your kissing?
Which is the best way?

I started with ‘what’ and finished with a word beginning with ‘w’!

Anyone can join, rules here: http://lindaghill.com/2016/01/15/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-jan-1616/

By the way here’s the song! You tube: