Only a Slight Flirtation by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The poem explores the theme of a romantic encounter between two people who are already committed to others. The speaker describes the brief flirtation as a moment of intense passion and excitement, but also acknowledges its fleeting nature and the impossibility of pursuing it further due to their existing relationships.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1910 · Genre: Romance, Tragedy, Drama · 240 words
First lines
'Twas just a slight flirtation, / And where's the harm, I pray, / In that amusing pastime / So much in vogue to-day?
Her hand was plighted elsewhere / To one she held most dear, / But why should she sit lonely / When other men were near?
They walked to church together, / They sat upon the shore. / She found him entertaining, / He found her something more.
They rambled in the moonlight; / It made her look so fair. / She let him praise her beauty, / And kiss her flowing hair.
Similar titles
- Two by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Only A Line by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- That Love At Length Should Find Me by Edna St Vincent Millay
- Reunited by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Rubies by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Love Is So Strong A Thing by Bliss Carman
Genres
- Romance — The central theme revolves around romantic interactions and relationships.
- Tragedy — The narrative includes the death of a character and the resulting emotional turmoil.
- Drama — The story involves intense emotional conflicts and moral dilemmas.
- Poetry — The work is written in a poetic format with structured verses and rhyme.
Tags
Romance · Poetry · Love · Relationships · Flirtation · Seduction · Attraction · Desire · Passion · Emotions · Intimacy · Human Connection
What this Textopian page supports
Only a Slight Flirtation is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1910 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1910 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romance, Tragedy, Drama, Poetry, Social Commentary
- Length: 240 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Only a Slight Flirtation by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph