Flamingle

tyler pufpaff

 

“The act of trying to flirt or mingle

but you are so awkward

that you become a flamingo!”

—Urban Dictionary

 

Oh Tyler, how you try so hard.

You stick out like a fervorous flamingo.

 

On the back burner of conversation, waiting to come forward

you eat catered kimchi like a confervous flamingo.

 

You take an opening but trip over your words and retreat.

Your clothes feel tight. What are you? A nervous flamingo?

 

Ha, myths are just myths—is that plumage under your sleeve?

You rush to the bathroom—a polymorphous flamingo.

 

“Gwa GWa GWA” *ahem* “Thbbft!” You spit blood

in the sink. Neck craning down, like a recurvous flamingo.

 

Are you gonna break? That looks like it hurts!

Good luck with the party… is there any purpose, flamingo?

 

There’s no more reason for abnegation; she’ll probably like you

better this way: a wordless flamingo.

 

But instead you are a monstrous flamingo! A carotenoid hungry

filamentous-feather-seeking tenacious flamingo!

 

You squall, molting the last of yourself, as you hurl your beak

into her neck. A remorseless flamingo.

 

Crimson weeps slide down her body and give you red hues.

The party disrupted by a no longer conscientious flamingo.

 

Oh Tyler, how bad you wanted

to not stick out like a fervorous flamingo.

 

***

 

Author of A Quarter Life. Tyler Pufpaff’s work has appeared or is forthcoming in Torrid Literature Journal, Havik, Coraddi, perhappened, Emerge Literary Journal, and has been anthologized in Poetry Diversified 2019.