Kissing, marking with the nails
and making lovebites
should, some say, always precede lovemaking,
while the loveblows and lovecries
should be used only to hasten your lover's orgasm.
But Vatsyayana says once passion
is aroused there is little time for protocol.
You may do whatever you like
whenever you please, since Kama
respects no conventions and can't be regimented.
The first time you sleep with a girl
don't overdo the kissing, nails and teeth—
one thing at a time is best.
But as her confidence increases use every trick
in this book to fuel her desire.
The Kisses
Place your kisses on her brow,
her curls, eyes, cheeks and lips,
her neck and breasts,
and send your tongue on pilgrimage
to all the holy places of her sweet mouth.
A man from Lat would also kiss
the monkey tufts under her arms, her navel,
thighs and secret lips.
This peculiarly violent display of passion
reflects his nationality - it's not for everyone.
Three kisses are especially charming
when given by young girls,
These are the Almost-not-a-kiss,
the Trembling Kiss
and the delightful First-touch-of-her-tongue.
The first is when your nervous new bride,
on being pestered for a kiss,
reluctantly allows herself to be embraced
and accepts the homage of your lips,
keeping hers, however, clamped fiercely together.
When she has gained confidence
she may permit her lips to part a shade.
If you then nibble her lower lip
and feel it trembling as pleasure surprises fear,
you've won through to the second kiss.
One day her eyes will close;
you'll feel her hands creep up to cover your eyes
and a tongue shyly enquiring
if it may proceed to more adventurous things—
this third kiss ends her apprenticeship.
The love texts have four more kisses.
Lips meeting squarely make a Straight Kiss
and at an angle a Slanted Kiss.
You tilt her chin to steal a Lifted Kiss,
and any of these, if fierce, is a Crushing Kiss.
Some writers call it Pressing Wine
when, grasping her chin,
you pinch her mouth to an 'O'
and, making sure your teeth don't hurt her,
kiss her hungrily and hard.
From Sinha, Indra. The Love Teachings of the Kama Sutra. New York: Marlowe & Co., 1997.