My response to Shovel's challenge isn't showing in the Forums, for some reason. This might seen gratuitous, but here is a link to it, for those who might have missed it.

It is obvious we weren’t meant to be When I realised I couldn’t get used to the way you smelt It wasn’t you smelt bad, like the sweaty man Who always sits next to or near me on the bus He always somehow manages to be close First thing in the morning When my sense of smell is strongest And my stomach is at its weakest I’ve tried changing where I sit to no avail How can I expect a man whose idea of personal hygiene Is to wave at the ocean as he passes by To be the sort of person who ...

Okay folks, first of all, thanks to both Shovel and Ennarath for their suggestions. I've decided this go round, I'll run with both as I think having a choice is a good thing. Both have already provoked my imagination and I'm sure you all will find them equally so inspiring. Shovel's suggestions is simple: A Bad Habit. It leaves a lot to the individual's imagination. Ennarath's suggestion is also simple: a very short story. Udigit provided a link with some examples by some of today's...

It has been a little while since the last challenge (thanks San Chonino) so I thought it was about time I got the next one started. I've been thinking about what we've done so far and realised there are a whole lot of people who are writing who haven't yet had a go at providing a topic for inspiration. So, if any one out there has any ideas, please pass them on. Remember, the inspiration can be anything; a picture, a piece of prose, a quotation, poem or song lyric. It could be a carto...

For those of you who know her, our cat, Pumpkin, is not well at the moment. She has developed a cough because of some sort of chest infection that won’t clear up. We’ve taken her to the vets a couple of times and each time, they’ve prescribed antibiotics. The cough clears and she is fine but as soon as the prescription is finished, she starts coughing again. It is not all the time, only once or twice a day but it is worrying because she has always been fit and healthy. I’ve had her now...

You were all around me Buzzing like flies on a carcass Tickling at me like a virus A contagion with no cure As hard as I tried I could not prevent your incessant attacks Your delicious malice Now you’re under my skin I can feel your love crawling Under my shins, knuckles Forehead, scalp, arms Shoulder blades and spine It feels so delicious To scratch at it even though The itch won't go away Just move to somewhere else All I wish for now Is for my heart to capture Th...

I Wintered in the valley Of your breasts Warm, soft and comforting They were everything The shape under your dress Promised them to be Spring was in the scented petals Between your thighs Heated, honey-dipped and glowing Responsive to touch And the passionate yearnings I had once imagined The pools we spent in Summer We carved out of bed Rocking, swirling, tumbling In waves of rigid, sweaty lust Peeling our desire down Layer by layer Too soon Autumn came on No sooner...

I wrote this after last Sunday's incident a bus. I don't really believe this of my city, but I think it is true, in some respects, of every city. It seems to me the more closer we live together, the harder it is for us to live together. Underneath, there is a fluid Running through the soil and sandstone Blood dark and rich with tales Buried deep and weighed down with buildings Above, roads and footpaths, the gardens and parks Are this city’s epidermis, its thick skin Waiting for ...

I love my city. It is one of the best looking cities in the world. Sure, I’m biased, but it does consistently win awards for being a good looking city. But like any city, it has an Ugly Side. This side is usually hidden behind walls, under bridges or by unspoken agreements. But the ugly side hopped onto the bus on Sunday, while I was showing relatives from interstate the beauty Sydney has to offer. The Ugly Side came dressed as a late 20’s man, wearing carefully torn jeans, off whit...

I'm peeved... My latest story, in response to San Chonino's challenge, is not showing in the forums list, for some reason. So I'm advertising it here, for those of you who missed it. WWW Link

I walk around No shoes, no shirt Mind racing hard Trying to stay alert Only one way To stop feeling down I walk around I walk around Skinny chest stuck out Limping on soles Shod only in doubt Scared to breathe Or make a sound I walk around I walk around Eyes to the sky Cracked earth closing up No longer dry Tears from my past Are soaking the ground So I walk around I walk around

INTO THE ETHER Where are my words? My considered responses, And the little pieces of wisdom I try to impart In a single glitch they’re sucked up into the ether Before I can post them Will they be like love letters long forgotten Sitting in an old shoebox At the back of a cupboard? Found after years pass? If these words appear again on my screen Will I remember them fondly Smile at hidden meanings Between the lines? Will I cringe at their naïve enthusiasm Or their humou...

NB: not sure about this one, folks, but as I'm only practicing, thought I'd put it up and see what sort of feedback you can offer. All comments gratefully taken on the chin LUST IS DUST Slowly spread Grandiose On a bed Fullest pose Under glamour Chiffon and pearl Heart a’ clamour for This plain girl Tho my mind’s eye Sees Aphrodite I can’t deny My passion’s mighty Biting down On the fisted glove A single touch Is heaven above This plain girl Is more than simple Sh...