Nothing Twice

There are two instances of “kisses” (Line 12, Line 25). Both represent love and sharing another’s company. The spaces alluded to—including summer school and more abstract “nights” (Line 10)—gives the poem a feel of youthfulness. A sense of romance and whimsy permeates the poem.

No two kisses are the same because they occur at different times. Because of this, “bliss” (Line 10) takes many forms. Each kiss—each love, each moment—offers the speaker a new definition of pleasure or joy. The speaker praises each distinctive kiss, urging the reader to recognize the richness of love, beauty, and tenderness.

The speaker states: “With smiles and kisses, we prefer / to seek accord beneath our star” (Lines 25-26). These lines again indicate happiness, joy, and love. The speaker compares the “we” (Line 27) to “two drops of water” (Line 28). Each person is unique; similarly, each kiss or love is unique. No two forms of love between people are the same, just as no two moments in life are.

The rose represents the “you” and the speaker’s longing. Scent in “Nothing Twice” induces yearning. Odors can trigger vivid memories. This is known as the Proust effect, after the French writer Marcel Proust, who wrote about how madeleine cakes trigger childhood memory and nostalgia.