I’ve spent 40 years
Looking to recapture
The glorious sensation
Of that first kiss
Diane. Oh Diane.
Sadly long since gone.
But sitting in amongst the coat hooks
Back in 1978
I can remember the warmth
I can remember the wetness
Her lips on mine
And my heart exploded
Nothing had ever felt like that
I was ten years old
And nothing had ever felt that good
But little did I know
That nothing would ever
Ever
Ever
Feel that good again
I’ve had many first kisses
Since that first kiss
And there is always something
Wonderful about the first kiss
But no other first kiss could
Ever compete with the first kiss
So very many wonderful firsts
But none so sublime as that first kiss
You may feel pity for me
That my life has been spent
Trying and failing
To live up to that first kiss
But you’re seeing it wrong
Because I pity you
Because you never had
That first kiss
(C) Michael Gurner 2019
‘The First Kiss’ was written for the stunningly lovely music and poetry open-mic night Scribal Gathering – that has taken place on the second Tuesday of every month in deepest Stony Stratford for most of the last ten years or so. I seem to remember that it was written very quickly, as I’d been unable to find the time to practice a song I was intending to perform, so instead I sat down and was rather pleased to find that this just came out.
I’d recently found out that the Diane in question, donor of said kiss, had passed away some time ago, and had not had a wonderful life. We’d not been in contact since middle school, so I was surprised how much the news affected me, and on reflection, it all came down to that first kiss.
Michael Gurner – April 2020