He grinned broadly from the corner
a percussive serrated smile,
cadaverous lips displaying
a rakish scarecrow style.
His emaciated figure chattered
suspended precariously from a hook;
I was completely startled
by his penetrating look.
His wink was disconcerting,
those vacant eyes held wide;
I wouldn’t call him cheeky
though he displayed a gangly pride.
One arm extended slightly
as if inviting my embrace;
it might feel a little morbid
held against that hollow face.
Gothic trends might call him charming
though his apparel seems unique,
one would only see it hanging
in a nudist colony boutique.
One dance was all he wanted
waltzing the orthopedic floor,
that physician’s skeletal dummy
I just couldn’t make myself ignore.
July 31, 2026
Skeletons Poetry Contest
Seth Pina, Sponsor
I have a confession to make. I’m a trust fund baby
and a member of the educated Elite.
In my defense, I'm a newcomer in both categories.
I got my trust fund at 18 and graduated Yale University this year.
I was a double major, at university, in biochemistry and celibacy,
until as a sophomore, I met this tall, handsome, awkward, disheveled, physicist in a coffee shop and knavishly schemed my way into his life.
(He insists that he knavishly schemed his way into my life.)
Let’s get poetic-ish..
I said,
“Let’s start a flirtationship
abstract, immaterial and fun.
We have a little chemistry - an interesting.. tension.
Could we just have an involvement and not read into it?
Something friction free, hands free, germ free, and guilt free?
Let's get a pizza, don't worry, I'm paying.”
Of course, that was a lie.
I had designs, I wanted him in the utmost
and honestly, when do I not get what I want?
"I was by far the knavishist." I admitted.
"Then you don't know knavishEST.," he responded, shaking his head 'no'.
.
.
songs for this:
Honeypie by JAWNY
Really Saying Something by Bananarama & Fun Boy Three
Achingly slow the way that we kissed,
enjoying the entrapment we laid in.
You commemorated this with cursive.
The soft swirl and soft hand of cursive
matched us as the paper was kissed.
Italics bold as your tongue trucked in.
It was comforting how you creeped in
with flirtation flowing in pristine cursive.
Immortality penned the way you kissed.
A love letter french kissed in cursive.
he looked at me and whispered low ~ if ye ken my meaning, lass, say so
aye, I knew what those eyes meant ~ I smiled at him, and my answer was sent
FLIRTATION
a pretext
for
the glamorous
renaissance
across
the core
of romantic love
swathed in
the symbolic
changing
&swaggering
in a suggestive
state
emblematic
of the
vanity
so so
essential
&
appropriate
to the occasion
beauty-obsessed
assessed
& filtered
adolescence
so
superficially
beautiful
looking fo
a glimpse
of the
reassurance
&
the spectacular
in profile
to be paraded
in an
appearance
so soft
gentle
&soothing
aspiring towards
desire
& promise
covered with
ornamental
displays
of perfection
a
focus on
& aimed at
the observer
at will
as love outpours its own sublime essence
each imbibes hues of chosen resonance
free will determining the vibration
making music tuned to its gyration
in a play of divine entwined romance
child wondrous visiting a foreign land
flits about in trance till he understands
that fleeting images merely come and go
whilst bliss within eternal and mellow
all that that is empowered by Gods hand
dynamic stillness in field kinetic
enlivened silence when heart ecstatic
centred in nonchalance void our fulcrum
each node within bliss throb sensorium
rainbow in full view magic eclectic
08-February-2021
Love enters through my eyes,a smile so shy
A frisson ,toe to toe,each touch tingles
As mystery and arousal mingles
And looks attracted, a lingering sigh.
Close together into emotions dance
Our passion pulsates,as flirtations fly
Ardour's palpatations can never die
As love engages ,on first acquaintance.
The friendship flowers,boundaries unbared
Fervour pinnacles to undreamed of heights
Love explored upon silken Summer nights
Commitment binds a future to be shared
Togetherness kindles fidelity
Igniting love into eternity
The #Old-Last-Act, Act I, Scenes 1 - 13
Anticipation
Expectation
A flirtation
Titillation
Osculation
Masturbation
Perturbation
Copulation
Consumation
Ejaculation
Expiration
And prostration
Termination
It was so long ago
yet, I can remember everything.
Barely an adult, I was on holiday on the Islands
In the glow of tropical sunset, I saw her
a raven-haired beauty
Having not yet mastered the finesse of flirtation,
I struggled for something to say, perhaps
a nonchalant approach!
That would be unique for me.
My years of teenage gallivanting had
been clumsy.
I had to try
and so, encouraged by the
voices of the palm trees in the breeze,
I said hello.
In my mind’s eye, I could see it.
A secret rendezvous,
an equatorial moon shimmers
as we make love.
Then, to my surprise, she returns
my simple greeting,
Hello, said she.
Sweating my precarious position,
I stumbled
As I continued my awkward presentation,
a scorpion crossed the corner of my eye
as if to say, danger is present
yet worth the risk
She did acquiesce
Funny, as I recall that the ecstasy
was not in our clandestine encounter
later that night,
as we shared only simple conversation.
Rather, it was that she said yes.
5/6/18
Contest: 8 Difficult words
Sponsor: Emile Pinet
no designed gem creation
gathers my stunned elation like earth's jangling flirtation
of dazzling rain drops forming on a green leaf foundation -
a pertly dancing sensation
garners my soul's ovation
Flirtation
Oh what happened to the art of flirtation
To the lady who was a coquette
That flirted across a crowded room with her fan
Sending her signals with slight of hand
The philander who colds cause the lady to blush
With quietly spoken words of amour
Over the years the romance has been lost
Now there are not many who know the art of flirtation
And is considered a trifle outdated
But oh how a lady feels being the only one
Who in older ways was being courted
There is nothing like in the world
Tis a shame it’s mostly lost
Because it is not the same in written word
In emails and text as most do now
To meet people now is called face time
How disappointing this is in the world
10-12-16
Sparks of flirtation,
sometimes turns into something more -
A slow burn simmers.
Flirtation is a game many of us like to play
It’s a way of showing someone that I like you in the friendliest of ways
But some play too rough and end up hurting those who are not tough
However flirting can be fun especially when the game is done
Flirtation possesses many different forms
It may be sweet or kind
Or revealed to others who were blind
It maybe secret done in a way that others may not see
It can even be dangerous planning dastardly evil deeds
Flirtation is a rather unusual thing
You’ll never know what a simple flirt here or there may bring
Some might take you seriously without even realizing
Flirtation involves those who are wise
Who know how to play the game, with every disguise
They know what’s at stake but still they are willing to play
One thing that’s important, is knowing exactly what to say
The target is usually someone who is rather naïve
That way the player doesn’t need an extra trick up their sleeve
It’s a game of chance really, you can either win or loose
The mystery lies in who is the player going to choose?
With rainbow wings, you tarry among the stones
Your caress as light as dew drops in the sun
Searching for a rose to call your own...
A morning breeze hastes to join the fun
Tickling vines, and petals, where you've clung
You find a place to rest awhile and preen
Then fly to me, assured and debonair
You spread apart kaleidoscopic wings
While proudly knowing roses won't compare
Nor can the scarlet ribbon in my hair
Dear butterfly, while neighbors won't suspect
This love affair I have with you,
My hair, in which you light, holds new barrette
You flatter me,... am I prize pursued?
You've fluttered down, to be my arm's tattoo
_______________________________
For Contest: "Flirt"
Sponsor: Lewis Raynes
A backward glance
A crimson blush
A risked smile
Feigned melancholy interest
Sparkling eyes dance
A wink and a nod
Lips tenderly caress an
Extended hand
Dreamy intoxication
Half in Love
Sub Categories
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