The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-09-21
/" YOU KISSED ME. +"
The Author of the Poem, and How IL
Came to be Written.

The Author of the Poem, and How IL
Came to be Written.
This poem, which James Redpath,
the historian, thought SO much Of
that he had an edition printed on
white satin, and which John G.
Whittier says "shows that the young
author had truly mastered the secret
of English verse;" was written in the
early COS in Almond, N. Y, by Miss
Frona Corey, who then was unao-
twenty years of age. Miss Corey
previous to that time had contributed
a number of excellent articles, both
prose and verse, to the press, some OF
which appeared in the New York
Express. One day gentleman, who
had been a visitor at the home of
Miss Corey's parents, took his de-
parture, and on bidding her good
by, imprinted a kiss upon her lips.
Some time after his departure Miss
Corey received a letter from this
gentleman, and in it he inclosed
a poem entitled 81 Kissed YOU"
One day, while attending to
some household duties, the lady's
mind ran upon the letter
and the answer she would write,
when suddenly the words "You
Kissed Me- were unconsciously ut
tered. Without leaving her work
she iotted them down. As she COM
posed the succeeding lines of the
poem she transferred them to paper,
and by the time her task was fin
ished the poem in the rough was
completed. Subsequently Miss
Corey revised her lines and evolved
the exquisite verses given below.
These she sent as an answer to the
letter received, and the gentleman
in 1867 gave the poem to a Wood
stock (Ill.) paper for publication,
but refused to disclose the name Of
the author, saying only sit was writ.
ten by young lady under twenty"
It was widely copied and COM
mented upon, but how it came to be
written or by whom has never before
been published
You kissed me! Ny head
| Dropped low on your breast
! With feeling of shelter
And infinite rest.
While the holy emotions
My tongue dared not speak
Flashed up in fame
From my heart to my cheek.
Your arms held me fast;
| Oh! your arms were so bold;
Heart beat against heart
In their passionate fold,
Your glances seemed drawing
My soul through my eyes
AS the sun draws the mist
From the seas to the skies
Your lips chung to mine
Till prayed in my bliss
They might never unclasp
From the rapturous kiss.
You kissed me! My heart
And my breath. And my will
In delirious Joy
For moment stood still,
Life had for me then
No temptations, no charms,
No visions of happiness
Outside of your arms.
And were | this instant
An angel possessed
Of the peace and the JOY
That are given the blest,
I would fling my white robes
Unrepiningly down,
I would tear from my forehead
It's beautiful crown
To nestle once more
In that haven of rest
Your lips upon mine,
My head on your breast.
You kissed me My soul
In bliss SO divine
Reeled like drunken man
Foolish with wine;
And | thought 'twere delicious
To die there, if death
Would but come while my lips
Were yet moist with your breath;
If l might grow cold
While your arms clasped me roun6
In their passionate fold.
And these are the questions
ask day and night;
Must lips taste no more
Such exquisite delight2
Would you care if your breast
Were my shelter as then,
And if you were here
Would you kiss me again?