In movies, in art, and in song a kiss is still a kiss… as in the theme to Cassablanca (below), As Time Goes By.
Sometimes it’s captured for all the world to see and remember like the sailor kissing a nurse on VJ Day in Time Square, New York, NY (42nd and Broadway). And the kiss becomes iconic – a representation of something else – freedom from war, freedom from fear, freedom to love again without fear that the one you love will catch an enemy bullet on some distant field.
But there are far more kisses than that: - The stepmother’s kiss (infinitely cold)
- The child’s kiss (infinitely warm and sincere)
- The kiss of new love (tentative, hopeful)
- The Judas kiss (a kiss of betrayal)
- The kiss of long standing love (devoid of much passion but meaningful in its intent)
- The Christmas kiss (trapped under mistletoe)
- The European kiss (pro-forma greeting)
- The passionate kiss (all-consuming lust)
- The Vampire’s kiss (an ulterior motive)
But it’s rarely JUST a kiss.
