Kissed Quote by Warsan Shire
““On the night of our secret wedding when he held me in his mouth like a promise until his tongue grew tired and fell asleep, I lay awake to keep the memory alive. In the morning I begged him back to bed. Running late, he kissed my ankles and left. I stayed like a secret in his bed for days until his mother found me. I showed her my gold ring, I stood in front of her naked, waved my hands in her face. She sank to the floor and cried. At his funeral, no one knew my name. I sat behind his aunts, they sucked on dates soaked in oil. The last thing he tasted was me.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: Unpublished work, 2010s
Describes an intense, secretive, and tragic intimacy, blending eroticism with loss and cultural conflict.
In simple terms: A secret, intense love ends in tragedy.
Key Takeaway
Reflect on hidden desires and their consequences.
Themes
love
death
secrecy
culture
identity
Mood
somber
intense
Type
poetic
confessional
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- cultural oppression
- memory preservation
Key Concepts
intimacy
power dynamics
grief
Questions to Reflect On
- What does secrecy reveal about power?
- How does cultural context shape intimacy?
A Different Perspective
The narrative may romanticize harmful power imbalances.
