Because here is what the poems do not tell you: intimacy is not a crescendo. It is a slow subtraction. You lose the performance. You lose the polished version of yourself. And then, if you are lucky, you lose the fear of being seen while chewing, while tired, while unrehearsed.

) is a popular creative challenge used by artists, fan-fiction writers, and roleplayers to explore the emotional nuances between two characters through different types of physical affection. The 22 Kisses and Their Meanings

To understand the utility of this strategy, we must first break down the terminology.