Duty

Posted on 2019/08/26 by Bartholomew Barker

Yesterday I hosted a germination workshop for Living Poetry. We had six poets working with eight prompts over two hours. One of the prompts was to write about duty.

Duty

Even when the words won’t run
some days they barely crawl
the poet’s duty is to write

Drunk or sober
amused or apathetic
it’s our obligation
to drag a metaphor
out of the ordinary
to reveal meaning
found hidden under
the tiniest pebble
of inspiration

(I also used this for today’s Monday Poetry Prompt.)

About Bartholomew Barker

Bartholomew Barker is one of the organizers of Living Poetry, a collection of poets and poetry lovers in the Triangle region of North Carolina. Born and raised in Ohio, studied in Chicago, he worked in Connecticut for nearly twenty years before moving to Hillsborough where he makes money as a computer programmer to fund his poetry habit.

View all posts by Bartholomew Barker →

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11 Responses to Duty

Lisa Tomey says:

2019/08/26 at 19:29

Well done and thanks again for a great workshop.

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- Bartholomew Barker says:
  
  2019/08/26 at 19:33
  
  Thanks for participating!
  
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JeanMarie says:

2019/08/26 at 22:40

I love this one! Yes, I work in obscurity, un-paid and un-sung, but damn it, someone has to write the verse!

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- Bartholomew Barker says:
  
  2019/08/26 at 22:47
  
  Thanks! The show must go on.
  
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othermary says:

2019/08/27 at 23:37

And some days that is a very difficult duty. Well said, or rather typed.

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- Bartholomew Barker says:
  
  2019/08/28 at 08:24
  
  Thank you. I wasn’t feeling very inspired that afternoon but when you have to write….
  
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  - othermary says:
    
    2019/08/28 at 13:28
    
    It has taken me a very long time to realize a writer writes, regardless of inspiration. And you’re welcome.
    
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  - Bartholomew Barker says:
    
    2019/08/28 at 16:58
    
    Poetry on demand has been great exercise for me.
    
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Cassa Bassa says:

2019/08/30 at 03:34

Nice work! 👍

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- Bartholomew Barker says:
  
  2019/08/30 at 08:41
  
  Thanks! I suppose sometimes a lack of inspiration is a kind of inspiration after all.
  
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  - Cassa Bassa says:
    
    2019/08/30 at 08:56
    
    I agree. It’s also a writer’s discipline.
    
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