A Jewel beetle I did meet one day.
What a gem was she with her sparkling way.
Another beetle I’d been pining for . . .
the Mountain Pine beetle was easy to adore.
The Pinching beetle, also as Stag beetle is known.
It’s no wonder that he goes to parties all alone.
The Longhorn beetle has a crazy look.
But he’s no steer. He's one I will never cook!
Goliath beetle had one night a fight
with the beetle called Hercules. Oh, what a sight.
Carpet beetle tripped them by getting underfoot.
She’s the one on whom our money we ought to have put.
The beetle called Feather Horned sure gave me a tickle.
Hide beetle hid from me; that one is so fickle.
The beetle know as Skin was horrible as sin,
always bugging me, yes, she got under my skin.
Water beetle – for swimming has a yen,
I wonder if she gets thirsty now and then.
My favorite of beetles though is sweet Ladybug.
Always so polite, she gives my skin a hug.
March 14, 2023
For Margarita Lillico's Pun Fun Poetry Contest
It was to be a lazy afternoon
spent at a nearby park.
Jordan, Anthony, and I
swung on the swings
and climbed their wooden structure
& the gazebo.
We thought back on how we all
used to hang out there as little kids.
Now look at us--
dope-smokers in 10th grade...
The basketball court was empty,
so we hung out there.
A young kid,
about 8 or 9,
decided to join us.
Wanting to impress Jordan & Anthony,
he began to pick on me,
as I was the weakest & the nerdiest of the group.
But it wasn't like I could do
anything about him.
If I threw out insults,
he stood the chance of harming himself.
And surely beating the outta
a much younger kid
was frowned upon...
Nothing he did or said
got under my skin, necessarily,
he was just so goddamn annoying.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't
entertain some thought of
pushing him in front of a moving vehicle.
On the walk home,
Jordan and I discussed his awful strategy
to make friends.
Honeysuckle can't survive on tear drops
And rainbows lose their beauty without rain
Heavens sent down angels that still haunt me
And tattooed on my heart is your name
What seemed so temporary is now forever
And I carry you with me all the time
But my heart's not the only place that you left your mark
You also lay heavy on my mind
Tattooed on my heart you'll be forever
Yet I'm not sure how you got under my skin
It's as though you've taken on a new persona
And left me living in what could have been
It's funny how you managed to find space
When some of my past loves brought me to the brink
You've erased all those lesser known little heart aches
And instead you used permanent ink
Tattooed on my heart you'll be forever
And you somehow remain under my skin
It's as though you've taken on a new persona
And became heart aches evil twin
Tattooed on my heart you'll be forever
Till the day they put me in the ground
The silence and pain of the unknown
Speaks volumes without making a sound
Tattooed on my heart you'll be forever.......
Thai By
This place gets under your skin. Slowly creeping in like black Texas gold. I said I'd never partake in the cat house girls. Seeing them each day for eighteen months was routine. Walking past the 'venues' to my shop. Usual hi's and hello's.
Then one fine humid day, bang! I happened. I changed. Cabin fever? I walked into Suzi's Place. I put my cash on the counter and grinded the mamasan first. Then her two daughters followed by every other girl in there. It took thirteen hours.
I totalled twenty eight girls. Most were nice. I can't tell my wife. My mate could, his wife's cool. Mine isn't. I'll say I was busy inking from dawn to dusk. I'm not sure what came over me. The Thai air got under my skin. That day tattooing could wait.
Maybe I'll do it again. Invite my wife and her toy boy. Did I say that people are strange here? I fit in well...
Because for once i allowed you in,
to take a breathe, deeper then skin,
you cut away deep at my soul,
you took away my only hope,
my belief in a life with you by my side,
a wonder in words you so often denied,
everything you whispered all the secrets
you stowed, left me here with nothing but this
paper and stone,
the stone in my hand from the day that we met
on that beach in Alabama, filled with regret,
and this paper with the words,
don't ever forget.
so why do i keep these memorize so cold,
because it keeps me surrounded by the happy times,
the times we could say we loved each so,
but now its all been thrown miles out the closest window,
you took away my breathe, got under my skin,
you sealed yourself into my every grin,
with you leaving this paper and stone,
you finally told me,
you let us all go.
Why do I still feel trapped
If you've set me free?
Is there nothing that can loosen
Your hold on me?
Please release this death grip
You have on my heart.
If you squeeze any tighter,
I'll surely fall apart.
I told you it's over,
And I don't want to be friends,
But your love is cruel torture
That never seems to end.
I should never have let you
Dig your claws in,
Should have left you before
You got under my skin.
Please leave me alone,
I have my own life.
I'm sorry to tell you
I'll never be your wife.