Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Karen Fleur Adcock’s “Incidentals: Kissing” explores the timeless nature of intimacy and desire through a dual perspective of youth and middle age. The poem contrasts the carefree romance of the young with the intense, poignant passion of the middle-aged, emphasizing how love and physical connection persist, albeit in different forms, across the stages of life.

The opening lines depict a pastoral scene along a riverbank where young lovers walk arm in arm, their gestures both tender and performative. Adcock uses the river and its natural elements—waterlilies and what might be a nest—to set a serene backdrop that mirrors the youthful sense of boundless possibility. Yet, the suggestion that these young people are only “pretending to be looking” at their surroundings highlights a playful disinterest in anything beyond their immediate infatuation. This detachment from nature underscores their preoccupation with each other, as two are described as “clamped together mouth to mouth,” completely absorbed in their kiss, forgetting even the world around them.

Adcock’s tone here is observational and slightly wry, as if the poet acknowledges the theatricality of young love. The other couples, “making courteous detours” to avoid the entwined pair, behave as though this public display of affection is a natural part of their shared space. They, too, engage in their own moments of connection—talking, pausing, and eventually kissing. This description captures the youthful self-assurance that the world belongs to them: “They can see no one older than themselves. / It’s their river. They’ve got all day.” This sense of ownership over the moment and space reflects the freedom and optimism often associated with youth.

However, Adcock does not linger on the youth for long, instead pivoting to a less visible yet equally compelling scene of middle-aged lovers. The poem asserts that while the young claim the river, “seeing’s not everything.” With this transition, Adcock introduces the idea that intimacy transcends visibility and public display. The middle-aged lovers are shown in a more constrained environment, “in the backs of taxis, on the way to airports and stations,” settings that suggest transience, urgency, and perhaps secrecy. This imagery contrasts sharply with the open, leisurely setting of the riverbank, reflecting how love and passion in middle age often occur within the limitations imposed by life’s responsibilities.

Despite these constraints, the middle-aged lovers are portrayed with equal, if not greater, intensity. Their kisses are described as “soft and powerful and as moist as ever,” a reminder that physical passion does not diminish with age. Adcock’s use of sensory language—“moist,” “soft,” “powerful”—conveys a vivid and enduring intimacy, countering societal assumptions that romantic or physical connection is the sole domain of the young. The lovers’ hands, “locked so tightly together that it hurts,” further illustrate the depth of their emotion. This physical pain, unacknowledged by them, signifies the strength of their connection and the sacrifices they might be making to hold on to it.

The contrast between the two groups of lovers—the young at the riverbank and the middle-aged in taxis—extends beyond their physical settings. The young are depicted in an idyllic moment of freedom and spontaneity, unburdened by the future or the past. In contrast, the middle-aged couples carry a sense of bittersweet urgency. They are on their way to destinations—airports, stations—that symbolize partings or transitions, underscoring the fleeting nature of their encounters. Yet, Adcock notes, “They too may have futures,” suggesting that love at any age holds the potential for renewal and continuation.

Structurally, the poem employs a conversational, observational tone that allows the reader to witness these moments of intimacy without intrusion. The lack of punctuation in places creates a fluidity that mirrors the natural rhythm of the scenes depicted, from the gentle flow of the river to the quiet, enclosed world of the taxis. This seamless movement between the two settings emphasizes the universality of love and connection, bridging the gap between generations.

“Incidentals: Kissing” ultimately celebrates the enduring power of human intimacy, regardless of age or circumstance. By juxtaposing the exuberance of youthful romance with the profound depth of middle-aged passion, Adcock highlights the many forms that love takes over a lifetime. The poem invites readers to reflect on the ways in which desire, connection, and physicality remain constants, even as the contexts and expressions of love evolve. In doing so, Adcock affirms that while love may change with time, its essence persists, uniting people across the arc of their lives.

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